Tears and Praise

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!” Psalm 66:16-20Tears and praise, they happen in the midst of trial and yet, knowing that you belong to God and that He hears you should evoke praise while you are crying. Because of Christ, God listens to you and hears your prayers. Psalm 66:16-20 is a testimony of someone who is thankful for what God has done. In it he expresses how he cried out to God in prayer and in the process of crying out to Him he simultaneously praised Him. Such emotion came from recalling the faithfulness of God knowing that He is a God of love.Crying is a form of communication but adults are often told not to cry, that crying at some level is a sign of weakness. Crying to get your way is one thing but crying for relief helps eliminate stress and is a natural response to a range of emotions. In grief, joy, frustration, anger, and happiness, crying is healing. It’s okay to cry out to God but don’t forget while you are crying, recall His faithfulness to you. Through your tears be reminded of the God who will not forsake you. He brings comfort and healing and in praise you are acknowledging the faithfulness of God and His ability to deliver you from any and every circumstance.But don’t miss a significant part of this testimony, in it he says, “Come and hear, all you who fear God”. Fear of God is the beginning of understanding, wisdom, and knowledge. If you’re struggling today trying to hold it all in, cry out to God, He sees your tears and listens to your prayer and above all, don’t forget to praise!