Turning Tore to Restore

Have you ever shed a tear from a tear? I think we all have, from a scratch on the playground to a tear of an Achilles tendon. There are many things that make us cry. When my son died I spent a sleepless night crying and praying, trying to understand this tear in my heart that brought copious tears. There are ways tears (weeping) and tears (wounds) can be a positive thing. Let’s delve into that thought.

Crying is a natural response to a deep range of emotions, from sadness and grief to happiness and joy. How can tears make you feel better? 

• Tears are a valve that allows you to release stress and emotional pain. 
• A good cry releases endorphins which help you feel better physically and emotionally.
• Allow yourself these tears that bring refreshing.

A tear can be a good thing also. How? It sounds painful. 

• You have to tear wrapping paper from birthday gifts to get the presents inside. 
• The curtain of the Temple was torn when Jesus died so we could have access to the presence of God. 
• The best salad is made from tearing lettuce. If you cut with a knife, it turns brown.
• God tore apart the Red Sea so the Israelite children could cross to the Promised Land and freedom without wilting.

When you tear (cry) and tear (rip apart) and your world is turned upside down, you may be surprised to find that when someone dies or leaves and you are torn from them, there can be restoration. How can this be?

• A tear takes time to heal. Accept this and allow it. Don’t beat yourself up because you don’t recover by someone else’s timetable. You are unique and your time to restoration may vary from others. The Bible says there is a time to tear and a time to mend. ( See Ecclesiastes 3:7) Don’t dwell in the tear and the tear though, go forward to restoration and recovery.
• There may be scarring involved.  There is a song by Casting Crowns called “The Only Scars in Heaven” which says that the only scars in heaven are on the hands that hold you now. As your wound is healing use what you have been through to encourage others who have a broken heart so their tear can be turned to restoration. Our God is “… the Father of tender mercy and the God of endless comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3b TPT)  When you have this hope for comfort, it enables you to share in others sufferings, “…just as you share in our sufferings you will also share in God’s comforting strength.” (2 Corinthians 1:7b TPT) After my husband died I had such empathy and compassion for my ICU patients and their families. I would often find myself crying with them.
• Pain is a part of the rehab process. There can be such suffering with a loss that you have physical agony along with the emotional and spiritual pain. There is no choice about this, but choose to press through to mobility where you can walk again. Even if you crawl or limp at first, it will get better. Mending is uncomfortable but the needle has to go in so the fragile tissues can grow back together.

You can find strength in the Lord. “Even when their paths wind through a dark valley of tears, they dig deep to find a pleasant pool where others find only pain.” (Psalm 84:6 TPT) Digging implies effort, but so does not digging, so dig deep and find peace, strength, refreshing and restoration to your tears and tears. Do one shovelful of dirt and pain at a time and you will get there on your journey and find abundant blessings and restoration.

Love, Debbie