Encouragement for Today

May 7, 2025 Do You Need a Beautiful Cry? CLARISSA MOLL Lee en español

“You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8b-c (NLT)

As a regular crier, I’ve always disliked the term “ugly crying.” In my opinion, no crying is ugly. Body-shaking sobs that make my mascara run? Sacred. Weeping that leaves my eyes puffy and my face red? Endearing.

Humans are the only living beings on earth that cry for emotional reasons. What a sacred honor to express our emotions in such a visceral, physical way. Tears are never ugly but are healthy, cleansing, empowering and beautiful.

In the almost six years since my husband, Rob, died, I’ve cried a lot. I cry when I think of the happiness of my past life with him and when my heart aches from his absence. I cry with bittersweet joy when my children reach milestones Rob will never see. I cry with thankfulness for God’s restoring work in my life, the flourishing He has brought from the ashes of my loss.

Every tear reveals the depths of my heart, full of love and wrestling with loss.

Tears also have become messengers to those around me, inviting compassionate care and loving presence. They have bound my heart to those who also grieve, providing community and the opportunity to comfort them with the comfort I’ve received in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Even when nobody sees, I’m assured that God does. The psalmist David tells us that God keeps track of our sorrows: “You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (Psalm 56:8b-c). Like Jesus asked Mary Magdalene beside the empty tomb, our Savior asks us, “Why are you weeping?” (John 20:15, ESV), pausing to listen to the reason for our sorrows. All of our tears are precious to Him.

Sometimes grieving people apologize for crying. In the grocery store or doctor’s office, they tear up and say, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry.” They believe their tears are unwelcome and something to hide. Perhaps you’re one of them. I’ve done it myself, explaining away my emotions to make someone else more comfortable.

Thanks be to God that our sorrows don’t make the Great Physician squeamish. They don’t make the Prince of Peace restless or discomfited. Instead, Jesus — the man deeply acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) — welcomes us to bring our troubles, large and small, to Him. He embraces us with His love, sheltering our wounded hearts like a bird tucks its chicks under its wings (Psalm 17:8).

Best of all, the Lord in His glorious power will one day wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). The droplets that once stained our faces will transform into the shining joy of eternal life, and death’s terrible curse will be gone. What beautiful tears those will be!

Dear God, thank You for never abandoning me in my grief. You know my sorrows, and Your comfort surpasses any solace the world could offer. Teach me to relax into Your loving care and rest as You soothe my broken heart. Help me to find joy in the shadow of Your wings. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Discover God’s presence in your grief with a 40-day journey through the Old Testament in Clarissa Moll’s Beyond the Darkness Devotional. Gently introduce this truth to your child in Clarissa’s new children’s picture book, Hope Comes to Stay: A Gentle Story about Grief, Loss, and the Love that Lasts.

ENGAGE

Visit Clarissa at www.clarissamoll.com or join her on Instagram or at her Substack, Hand in Hand.

Enter to WIN your very own copy of Hope Comes to Stay by Clarissa Moll. To celebrate this book, Clarissa’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, May 12, 2025.}

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Psalm 57:1, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by” (ESV).

1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (ESV).

Self-care in grief begins with small actions that bring physical and emotional comfort, reminding us of God’s presence with us. What are three things that symbolize self-care to you in this season?

Not a natural crier? That’s OK! What are two ways you feel most at home in expressing your grief? Share with us in the comments!

© 2025 by Clarissa Moll. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries thanks Harvest House Publishers for their sponsorship of today’s devotion.

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