Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; ~Hebrews 5:7-8
Jesus himself had strong crying and tears and learned obedience by the things he suffered. It wasn't just weeping either - "strong crying" in the above verse was a boisterous, mighty, powerful OUTCRY! WOW! Is it just me or isn't that just amazing?
To think that our Lord cried like that and I'm comforted because there has been many times I've had that sort of crying. Sometimes you just have to find that place alone and just make a mess lol - literally - snotting and blowing all over the place and completely let go and give it to God! It is very cleansing for the soul! Have you ever wondered why it feels SO GOOD after you had a good cry? Crying has healing effects and God knew that and if you think you are too good to cry, you are probably a bottled-up cantankerous human being that just needs to let loose and have a good ole' fashioned cry for once! ;-)
For more on this, here is an excerpt from Barnes' commentary:
(1)That there is nothing “dishonorable” in tears and that man should not be ashamed on proper occasions to weep. The fact that the Son of God wept is a full demonstration that it is not disgraceful to weep. God has so made us as to express sympathy for others by tears. Religion does not make the heart insensible and hard as stoical philosophy does; it makes it tender and susceptible to impression.
(2)it is not “improper” to weep. The Son of God wept - and if he poured forth tears it cannot be wrong for us. Besides, it is a great law of our nature that in suffering we should find relief by tears. God would not have so made us if it had been wrong.
(3)the fact that the Son of God thus wept should be allowed deeply to effect our hearts.
“He wept that we might weep;
Each sin demands a tear.”
He wept that he might redeem us we should weep that our sins were so great as to demand such bitter woes for our salvation. That we had sinned; that our sins caused him such anguish; that he endured for us this bitter conflict, should make us weep. Tear should answer to tear, and sigh respond to sigh, and groan to groan, when we contemplate the sorrows of the Son of God in accomplishing our redemption. That man must have a hard heart who has never had an emotion when he has reflected that the Son of God wept, and bled, and died for him.
Pastor also shared Psalm 142 and talked about David's total despair:
Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.
I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.
I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.
Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.
We as Christians shouldn't suppress or repress emotions but rather feel them and not think we are wrong for doing so. Jesus sure didn't hold back tears showing us the greatest example of not suppressing our feelings. God sees all anyway and who you are fooling thinking you are ok when inside you are in despair? Give it to God and let him melt the iceberg in your heart and make it warm and tender again.
