"DON'T CRY"

There are times in our lives when situations and circumstances get the best of us and even as Christians surrendering the issue a thousand times - we break down and cry.  Crying is the physical manifestation of physical, mental, and spiritual pressures that has to be released somehow or we will find ourselves in a very unhealthy state.  Venting in the right manner is always healthy.  I know this first hand, I have been in several scenarios that play this scene out.  The challenge comes, the weight seems too heavy, I have a good cry about it and then the Holy Spirit comes along and says, "I understand, but you can stop crying now."  Then He proceeds to lead, guide, and direct me in the way I should go and  sometimes He just takes care of it all.  A few Biblical examples can testify to this pattern.

In Luke 8:52-55 it says, "Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. 'Stop wailing,' Jesus said. 'She is not dead but asleep.' They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead.  But he took her by the hand and said, 'My child, get up!'  Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat."  


A child is dead.  People are not simply crying, they are wailing - a stronger and louder form of crying.  Jesus' first instructions are for the people to "Stop wailing".  Then Jesus proceeds to raise the child from the dead for it says, "Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up."

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The second Biblical example is found in John 11:33-44.  This is the account of the Death, Burial, and Raising of Lazarus.

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" 37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." 40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." 

If Jesus or the Holy Spirit does not say outright, "Don't Cry", either Jesus or the Holy Spirit may come along side someone and weep with them as Jesus did here.  Symbolically you could take when Jesus said, "Take away the stone" as the Stop Crying command.  This would sure stop my crying and give me a moment of pause.  Plus, look what happened when Jesus came along side and empathized - the next thing they knew, Mary and Martha had their brother back from the grave.

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The final example I'll bring to the table (albeit I'm sure there are more) is found back in Luke 7:13-15.  

"When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.' 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, 'Young man, I say to you, get up!' 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother."     

In this account, a woman had lost her husband some time ago and now was on her way to bury her only son.  Placing myself in her shoes I would be watering the whole plant life around the area with my tears too.  Evidently this situation touched Jesus' heart too because - "his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'"  Then Jesus did not have to touch the body.  He just touched the coffin and spoke life back into the young man - "Young man, I say to you, get up!"  And he did.

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You have heard it said, "weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." - Psalm 30:5.  This is a true statement.  However, according to how I just showed you Jesus worked - when He said, "Don't Cry" or any form thereof there was a miracle moments later, not hours or days.  So, be encouraged.  If you are in some life-challenging times right now, to the point of "a good cry" and you hear the Holy Spirit come alongside you and say, "I understand, but you can stop crying now." -  Hallelujah it's "Moving Day"!  Prepare for a move of God and to be moved by God!