It's Okay to Cry

Recently I met with a small group of friends and came away feeling "missed". When I thought more about it, I realized that I had told myself, I don't want to cry, and, therefore, avoided talking about the things that I was really feeling/facing that week. 

Crying makes me feel vulnerable. It can be hard to explain. People often don't know what to do with it and sometimes, neither do I. 

This past week my nephew, Justin, and his girlfriend, Sarah, came for a brief visit.

I cried when they came and I cried when they left. When I thought about it, I realized I hadn't seen my sister or any of her family for over 2 years (partly due to COVID) and what a loss that was for me. 

Yesterday I heard this song, When We Fall Apart, for the first time on the radio, and today I took time to listen to it more closely. "It's okay to cry...you don't have to try to be strong when you are not..."

I've tried for so long to hold it all together, to be strong, to be there for others, to pretend everything's okay even when it's not... But now...I'm hearing the Father say: It's okay to cry. I am here to hold you and to carry the pain. 

Psalms 56:8 says he puts all our tears in a bottle. If He is okay with crying, I guess I am, too. 

Whatever you're facing today, I pray that you can find the healing power in tears. Give yourself permission to cry. It's okay.