By Dr. Wayne Kilpatrick
Some people have the mistaken opinion that Christians should always be smiling and happy. There are some who say, “If you’ve been saved, you have no right to be sad.” Those folks can make you feel mighty guilty if you show any signs of being discouraged or broken-hearted.
Let me state this as clearly as I know how: Christians cry! They follow One Who Himself was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. We walk through the valley of the shadow of death many times during our lives. And we have loved ones who have not only walked through the valley of the shadow, but also the valley of death itself. We follow One who trembled and sweat drops of blood in a place called Gethsemane. We know the shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).
Christians are permitted to cry. You can’t become very acquainted with Jesus without being prone to tears. The big difference is that our sorrow does not lead us to give up. We don’t wring our hands as those who have no hope. In the midst of our sorrow we are able to reassure each other that a better day is coming. We know, and we encourage each other, that the sting of tragedy will one day be swallowed up in a great victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:55-57)
We Christians need to be reminded from time to time that as long as we live on earth, we will hurt and have troubles (John 16:33). We need also to be reminded that there is a better world waiting for us. We will have good days and bad days here. And from time to time we get a glimpse of what it will be like when Jesus comes back and abolishes sickness, sin, and death. In the meantime, there is a lot to cry about, and from time to time, we will be led to cry, but our sorrow is vastly different from that of those who are without Christ. Christians cry; but on the other side of their sadness they know a party will begin! And God will wipe away all our tears.
