How God Responds to Our Sorrows
“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)
The psalmist reveals the tenderness of God’s compassion for us in Psalm 56:8. Consider His love for you in this verse. “You (God) keep track of all my sorrows. You (God) have collected all my tears in Your bottle. You have recorded each one in Your book.”
There is never a sorrow wasted, never a tear discarded. God records them all! What profound love! What a comfort to know we have a God who cares so much! Peter must have experienced that same kind of response in his failure when He denied knowing Christ three times. Luke records what happened when Peter denied knowing Christ for the third time. “At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: ‘Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me.’ And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.” Luke 22:61-62 (NLT)
I can only imagine what must have gone through Peter’s mind when Jesus looked at him from a distance. He had done what he said he would never do! With bitter tears, he wept in defeat. Yet, his failure wasn’t final! His sorrow wasn’t wasted, and his tears were not forgotten. When Jesus rose from the dead, He personally met with Peter to restore him!
Our failure is never final when we take it to Christ. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available for you and me to resurrect His purpose in us and enable us to do what we could not do in our own strength. Whether your sorrow is a result of personal failure or loss or circumstances beyond your control, you have a Heavenly Father who collects all your tears in His bottle. Don’t waste your sorrows. God promises to turn them into joy.
“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (NLT)
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.