Works

When Tears Fall From Heaven

God cries in the midst of our suffering. Grief touches our life in more ways than we can comprehend. It is that rug being pulled out from our life's day-to-day routine. It is that unexpected phone call or being told of a friend or relative who has died or does not have much time left to live. Our life will never be the same as it once was when grief hits our door. Loss is loss and no matter how hard we try to replace it or cover it up; the pain is there and the wound exists... We are reminded that we do not control the unforeseen circumstances, which will come to our door. Our lives are fragile and so are the lives of those everywhere.

This is when we may want to run from God because why would God allow suffering and pain. More importantly if He has the ability to stop such tragedies than why wouldn't He? We live in a broken world where life is not perfect nor without pain. Yet, in the midst of our pain, God cries with us. He wept at the tomb where Lazarus was buried and He wept at the garden of Gethsemane. Yet His tears were for us when we didn't even know Him.

I have felt His love and compassion come over my life when my circumstances would appear differently. If we were to embrace each other's suffering as our own personal heartache than that would change our world and the lives around us. For this is what Christ did for each one of us. Yet, that doesn't lessen the anguish or pain we embrace when grief shows up at our door unexpectedly or without a warning. Job who suffered such great losses saw God because when it took place, he clung to Almighty God who holds the stars in place. The very thread of grace holds our life in such a delicate manner that when we are faced with unexpected tragedies, we can go to our Father who calls us by name and collects our very own tears and keeps them in a bottle.

Grief takes time and our life will never be the same, yet I find comfort and peace in knowing that my Father whose mercies are new each morning will cry with me and hold me close with much compassion... In the midst of our suffering God does cry. I think of the rain that falls from the sky being tears of His love and a gentle reminder that in the midst of our pain, tears fall from Heaven for God cries in the depths of our suffering.

I want to encourage you to be that tender heart to be ready for someone God brings to your world. We don't have to always think of what to say to someone in grief but weep with those who weep and hold their sorrows as our own for that is what Christ does for each of us. Tears fall from Heaven. God cries in the midst of our sorrows.

In Loving Memory of Virginia Tech Faculty and students

Penned by Hannah Lin Grace