Do you think God cries when you cry?

It’s hard to imagine that the God of the Universe feels sorrow when we feel sorrow. It’s also hard to imagine that God feels our fear, our pain, our anger, and the many emotions we experience throughout our day; including the varied emotions COVID-19 creates within us. After all, God is divine, not human, like us. Right?

Early in my emotional healing, I will never forget, when I discovered Psalm 56:8. “You keep track of all my sorrows.” David is acknowledging that God is fully aware of our sorrow, so much so that he keeps a record of our individual sufferings and pain. In Revelation 21:4 John writes that one day, “He (Jesus) will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain. For the old order of things have passed away.” Again, the Bible acknowledges human emotion and emotional healing on a divine level.

We can also look at the book of Genesis where scripture tells us that we are created (human beings) in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Humans are emotional beings. God tells Jeremiah, recorded in Jeremiah 14:17, to tell the Israelites, “Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without ceasing; for the virgin daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.” Finally, in the New Testament of the Bible, we know that God became man in the person of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:7-8). Jesus felt sorrow, pain, joy, anger, and experienced shame and suffering on our behalf.

Yes, I believe God cries with us. Yes, God cried when past trauma over-took our lives. Yes, presently, I believe God sees and feels our COVID-19 anxiety, fear, and sorrow. He not only cries with us over Covid-19, but He also records every act of suffering and collects every tear. He sees our children and collects every tear shed. He sees our teenagers and collects every tear and records every sorrow (or disappointment). He sees young mothers, and single mothers, and collects every tear, and feels every anxious thought. He sees me today, and He sees you today; still collecting our tears, recording our sorrows, and recognizing our efforts in emotional healing.

I might also mention. While scripture tells us that he collects our tears and records our sorrows, He also sings over us! In Zephaniah 3:17, “The LORD your God is among you. He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.”

COVID-19 will cause many different emotions in each of us. However, as we choose to trust in Him, cast our cares on him, and leave our fears at his feet, He walks beside us feeling every emotion we feel and still takes pleasure in us.

Yes, God has emotions. God feels what we feel, as we feel it. However, God also rejoices, is glad, is love, feels love for us, and sings songs of praise over you and me!

Psalm 56:8; Rev. 21:4; Psalm 126:5; Rev. 7:17; Psalm 42:3; John 11:35; Isaiah 25:8; Psalm 80:5; Psalm 29:12

If you are interested in emotional healing on your own or in small groups, learn more about Brave Enough to Change.