A DEVOTIONAL BY GUEST WRITER VICKI COTTINGHAM
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 (NLT)
For many years now, I have loved this verse, and I find so much comfort in it, especially right now, when the journey is hard going. What a precious thought that God has collected each of my tears. He caught every one of my many tears and keeps them safe in His bottle. The Voice Translation notes verse 8 like this:
You have taken note of my journey through life, caught each of my tears in Your bottle.
This indicates to me that God is close beside me on my journey, close enough to catch the tears that run down my face. This verse tells me how much God cares for me, for my pain and my sadness. He sits with me and allows my tears to fall, for they are special to him and, out of his care for me, he collects them all. In my imagination I see a beautiful bottle – like a special perfume bottle, intricately decorated, which God keeps just for me. I can also see a room with shelves upon shelves full of bottles, individually unique, made specifically for holding the tears of each one of us.
Isaiah refers to Jesus as “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.” (Isaiah 53:3, NLT) If anyone knows what it means to suffer and experience deep grief, it is Jesus, the Son of God.
I don’t know what you are going through right now. You may feel like no one sees the pain you are going through. You may feel alone in your sorrow and that no one cares or understands. You may be crying on your bed alone at night or trying to hold in your tears, feeling like you need to be strong. Can I tell you that you are not alone in your pain and that you don’t need to hold back the tears. God sees you right now and he cares about what is causing you pain and distress. You can be honest with him and let your tears come, for not one of them will ever be forgotten by God.
Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed of your tears; let them all flow and receive the healing and comfort of God.
You can read more from Vicki at – https://vickicottingham.wordpress.com/
Narrow Path Ministries 