Daily Devotional – 4/5/12 “Cry if you must!”

Somebody woke up this morning and after hearing the news report about rain or seeing the rain fall, you begin to think that just like outside, the rain won’t stop dropping in your life. But baby, I stopped by to tell you, the rain is meant for your good. Like I said on yesterday, I know the window of life you may be looking out of only shows dark clouds, lightning, rain and you hear the thunder coming but it’s not for your bad. No, because when the rain comes it’s either to wash away mess/dirt or to water the seeds you’ve sown? See, when you’re in a relationship with someone who is not the man or woman for you, they tend to throw dirt on you. Not actual dirt but they cause you to be dirty and degraded every time they call you out your name, every time they lie to you or on you, every time they cheat or break a promise. Then you pray to God for guidance so he sends the rain and it starts falling when they decide to leave or you finally decide to do what is right and put their butt out. This is simply God washing away the dirt because see, if you sweep it, it only gets deeper into the carpet or your clothes and although it seems like it’s gone from the surface, it’s still deep enough to affect you. Don’t believe me, put on some white socks and walk on the floor. You have to put water on the mess in order to completely remove it, so God sends the rain. Yea, I know that during this storm you may feel like you’re losing but hold on. I know it may seem like you’re drowning but all you have to do is stand up. God is not a man that he should lie and when he said he wouldn’t forsake you, he means it. Matthew 7:25 says “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” See, if you have your feet planted in the right soil, the storm won’t be able to move you. If you have your house built on the right foundation, even water can’t make fall. Yea, you may bend from the wind but you won’t break. You may even get more water than your bucket can handle but it’ll never be too heavy to carry. Welcome the rain and then stand in it with your arms outstretched ready to accept your cleaning and once you are cleansed, don’t go back playing in the dirt.

If that person left, you lost the job you say you loved, your favorite car was totaled or you are still grieving, honey, stop trying to hide the tears that you’re shedding because they let folk know that you’re alive and it’s also another way to let God know that he’s working in your life. See, I’ve always said that tears are just liquid prayers from your eyes to God’s ears during those times you can’t find the words so don’t feel bad because you cry. Haven’t you realized yet that when the Holy Spirit dwells within you, you’ve got to get your praise on and sometimes that means crying? Plus the tears you are sowing now are only watering the harvest that you shall soon reap. Don’t believe me, the bible says in Psalm 126:5, “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!” For when harvest time comes, you won’t have to shed anymore tears because you’ve sown enough to last you through that season. As a parent, you’ve had nights you had to cry from some of the choices your child made but then they finally grow up and get back on the right track and all the mess they used to cause, they don’t do anymore; you watered your harvest. As an adult, you cried many days from not knowing how you would pay your bills when the money always ran out before time but God allowed you to work hard, save a little money and now you’ve retired and enjoying the life you have left to live; you watered your harvest. As a cancer patient, you cried those evenings when the chemo treatments made you want to die when you had to eat but couldn’t keep nothing down, wanted to go but had no energy or had to breath but it hurt so bad but now you’ve been cancer free for 4 years and healthier and happier with no trace of cancer; you watered your harvest. That day in the doctor’s office when she said you had to lose weight or die from diabetes, you walked out crying but you didn’t stop walking and now 6 months later and 30 pounds gone she says the diabetes is now under control; you watered your harvest. When man said if you didn’t find a kidney soon, you’ll die so you cried and cried, but then you received a phone call to come into the hospital right now because a match had been found and now 10 years later, you’re still living, you watered your harvest.

Don’t be ashamed to cry because some days crying makes you feel better. Don’t be scared to cry because crying doesn’t make you less than the man or woman God has designed you to be. James 1:12 says, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Yea, I know that it seems like your drinking tears for water, but just hold on. I know that it seems like you’ve cried and you may even be saying like Psalm 6:6-7 says, “I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. My vision is blurred by grief; my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies,” but hold on because even though you may be worn and tired, tell your enemies like Psalm 6:8-9 says, “Go away, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD will answer my prayer.” God has heard you and he will come and see about you in your time of need. Don’t be ashamed of the tears you cry, just don’t wallow in them for too long. As like anything that starts, it shall end maybe not when you expect it to, but in God’s time. So cry on if you must!

“This storm is just a shower to cleanse me of the dirt that have been thrown on me by my haters. I won’t be afraid to cry and I’ll walk through the rain because when the SON shines, I’ll be renewed and through my renewal comes restoration and with restoration I am being restored back to a previous state or an even better one that allows me to reach my full potential so now I shine like pure gold. Yea, the rain may fall but I’m covered by the umbrella of God’s grace and mercy that always keep me dry!”