Is God moved by our tears?

[kessy001]

I once heard a pastor say "your tears don't move God, but your faith does". It got me thinking- so all those times i cried and prayed, God wasn't moved or what? But now i'm guessing the pastor was just trying to emphasize that Christians should pray with confidence and faith instead of crying.

What do you think? is God moved by the tears of his Children? he loves us right, so why wouldn't he be moved?
I was reading a devotional this morning and the writer, drawing his conclusion from John 11:35, explained that Jesus wept because He saw Lazarus' sisters crying, and the writer went further to say "if you want to get God's attention, try tears"

Now i have two contradictory statements here. please which do you agree with, which is right, or are they both correct in some ways? I look forward to your responses.

Thank you.

 

[BLINDSIDE_CHIK]

I think what your pastor meant was that he was emphasizing how important faith is. Maybe he could have re-worded it so it's not so confusing. I wasn't there but that's what I got from that statement. Some people might not pray with their hearts in the right conditions, and just cause you cry actual tears doesn't mean God will answer necessarily if your heart is not right. I can pray and cry but if my heart is not in the right place, why would God answer me? It would be dangerous to give someone something they don't need especially when you know it's not in their best interest. I don't think he meant you can't cry or God is not sympathetic because he is and he does have emotions. Kinda like when kids cry and make a scene in the store to their mom or parents just cause they want a toy. The mother says no, you can't have it. The kids starts making a scene but the mother ignores the kid in the sense that she has made her decision and she knows her kid well. Not because she doesn't care, she just knows the reason or intent of why the kid wants the toy and it doesn't respond to it the way the child would want. For the part, "if you want to get God's attention, try tears" ...I don't know what that's supposed to mean either. As I said you have to have to right heart when you pray, or for God to hear you. And whether that does or doesn't involve tears shouldn't be the main concern.

 

[zeroturbulence]

I think the pastor was simply trying to say don't just sit around and cry endlessly about a problem, rise up and have faith in your heart that God will deliver you from it.

Yes, our tears move God...

Psalm 56:8
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

God bless.

 

[Jullianna]

I love what Blindside_chik said.

The things of God move me deeply so I do tend to cry when I pray. This used to bother me when I was younger, but a very wise older lady told me that I should not worry about crying when I pray, but to worry when I could no longer be touched so deeply by the Lord. There are parables and warnings in the Word about guarding our hearts...keeping it soft and loving toward the Lord and not losing our first love.

That said, faith is steadfast, unyielding. It should not be affected by our emotions. We either trust and believe God or we don't. When we don't think He is moving as quickly or in the directly we think He should, behaving like spoiled children is not going to help. In fact, this would be a hindrance. God looks on the heart. He knows our intent and He knows genuine tears from drama.

 

[yac11]

I once heard a pastor say "your tears don't move God, but your faith does". It got me thinking- so all those times i cried and prayed, God wasn't moved or what? But now i'm guessing the pastor was just trying to emphasize that Christians should pray with confidence and faith instead of crying.

What do you think? is God moved by the tears of his Children? he loves us right, so why wouldn't he be moved?
I was reading a devotional this morning and the writer, drawing his conclusion from John 11:35, explained that Jesus wept because He saw Lazarus' sisters crying, and the writer went further to say "if you want to get God's attention, try tears"

Now i have two contradictory statements here. please which do you agree with, which is right, or are they both correct in some ways? I look forward to your responses.

Thank you.

I know God is moved by our tears. I personally have never prayed and cried at the same time. I don't think I did but I have cried much with out praying. So I can say that he does care and is moved by our tears, praying or not praying. I have asked him on some occasions to please take the emotional pain away.

He has on 4 occasions stopped my heart from hurting and enveloped me with a peace that is pure love. Oh what a loving God we serve!

 

[DustinC]

I believe all those times you cried and prayed, that was the Lord working in your heart and moving you to tears.

 

[niceguyJ]

Sometimes, when there are no words, tears can be prayers to God. It could also be praying with your spirit, so to speak.

Romans 8:26

New King James Version (NKJV)

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

[kessy001]

I love the responses so far, very valid points given.thanks everyone! Now i have a better understanding. i particularly like the last sentence of Jullianna's response- "He knows our intent and He knows genuine tears from drama". In other words,even though God is moved our tears, unlike men, He cannot be easily manipulated by them.

I think what your pastor meant was that he was emphasizing how important faith is. Maybe he could have re-worded it so it's not so confusing. I wasn't there but that's what I got from that statement. Some people might not pray with their hearts in the right conditions, and just cause you cry actual tears doesn't mean God will answer necessarily if your heart is not right. I can pray and cry but if my heart is not in the right place, why would God answer me? It would be dangerous to give someone something they don't need especially when you know it's not in their best interest. I don't think he meant you can't cry or God is not sympathetic because he is and he does have emotions. Kinda like when kids cry and make a scene in the store to their mom or parents just cause they want a toy. The mother says no, you can't have it. The kids starts making a scene but the mother ignores the kid in the sense that she has made her decision and she knows her kid well. Not because she doesn't care, she just knows the reason or intent of why the kid wants the toy and it doesn't respond to it the way the child would want. For the part, "if you want to get God's attention, try tears" ...I don't know what that's supposed to mean either. As I said you have to have to right heart when you pray, or for God to hear you. And whether that does or doesn't involve tears shouldn't be the main concern.

This makes a lot of sense, thank you. i love the mother-kid illustration.

 

[jerusalem]

i deeply believe this to be true

 

[kessy001]

Thanks Niceguy! it never occurred to me that tears could be prayer to God. always interpreted 'groaning which cannot be uttered' as 'Tongues speaking'. but now i see another light to it. I remember sometime ago i cried to God without saying a word of prayer, i'm sure my spirit connected with His because afterwards i felt light,the burden was taken off me.

I believe as much as God wants us to act in faith, He also understands that sometimes we get overwhelmed and we cry. And in those times, He remains near to us.

 

[secularhermit]

There are real tears and there is real faith.

 

[my_adonai_]

somewhere inside us God ordained for tears to exist. That they may truly express what truly touched our hearts. I have cried a lot of times, and many times i did. God replaced the pain with peace. And at times God uses SORROW for repentance purposes. (2 cor 7:10)

 

[seoulsearch]

Kessy, I want to tell you that this is one of the best threads I've read in my time on Christian Chat--thank you so much for posting, as I've heard as well that only faith, and nothing else moves the hand of God.

But I would have to disagree.

Now it's true that when Jesus visited Nazareth, He "could not do many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Matt. 13:58).

Something that I find to be personally fascinating is God's PERSONALITY--who He really is. After all, we are made in His image and so our emotions are modeled after the very Maker of the Universe.

A few of my favorites passages on this subject are:

1. When God calls Moses, and explains to him, "I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have HEARD THEM CRYING OUT because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM... The Israelites CRY FOR HELP has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them." (Exodus 3:7-9.)

I LOVE this whole story because God is basically saying, "I heard, and I went to go see for Myself, and now I am going to do something about it."

2. When Hagar and Ishmael are sent away by Abraham, Hagar leaves Ishmael and walks away, saying, "I can't stay to watch him die." As she sat by, she "wept loudly". But Genesis 21:17 says, "God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar and said to her, 'What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the voice of your son crying from the place where he is. Get up, help and sustain him, for I will make him a great nation.'"

3. Last but not least (I have more examples but didn't want to make this go on too long): JOHN 11:35 -- JESUS WEPT.

Jesus is God. If God Himself cries in human form... I am pretty sure that our tears move the hand of God. Now, someone might argue it was Jesus' faith and not His tears that moved God to raise Lazarus from the dead, but I have a tough time believing that God did not pay attention to BOTH.

Hope this helps and God bless. God always wants us to share our true emotions with Him!!

Isaiah 62:6,7 -- "SUBMIT YOUR CASE," says the Lord. "PRESENT YOUR ARGUMENTS," says Jacob's King.
Isaiah 65:24 -- "Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.
1 Peter 5:7 -- Cast ALL your anxiety on Him, because HE CARES FOR YOU.

*Hugs*!!!

 

[Liamson]

Kessy, I want to tell you that this is one of the best threads I've read in my time on Christian Chat--thank you so much for posting, as I've heard as well that only faith, and nothing else moves the hand of God.

But I would have to disagree.

Now it's true that when Jesus visited Nazareth, He "could not do many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Matt. 13:58).

Something that I find to be personally fascinating is God's PERSONALITY--who He really is. After all, we are made in His image and so our emotions are modeled after the very Maker of the Universe.

A few of my favorites passages on this subject are:

1. When God calls Moses, and explains to him, "I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have HEARD THEM CRYING OUT because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM... The Israelites CRY FOR HELP has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them." (Exodus 3:7-9.)

I LOVE this whole story because God is basically saying, "I heard, and I went to go see for Myself, and now I am going to do something about it."

2. When Hagar and Ishmael are sent away by Abraham, Hagar leaves Ishmael and walks away, saying, "I can't stay to watch him die." As she sat by, she "wept loudly". But Genesis 21:17 says, "God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar and said to her, 'What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the voice of your son crying from the place where he is. Get up, help and sustain him, for I will make him a great nation.'"

3. Last but not least (I have more examples but didn't want to make this go on too long): JOHN 11:35 -- JESUS WEPT.

Jesus is God. If God Himself cries in human form... I am pretty sure that our tears move the hand of God. Now, someone might argue it was Jesus' faith and not His tears that moved God to raise Lazarus from the dead, but I have a tough time believing that God did not pay attention to BOTH.

Hope this helps and God bless. God always wants us to share our true emotions with Him!!

Isaiah 62:6,7 -- "SUBMIT YOUR CASE," says the Lord. "PRESENT YOUR ARGUMENTS," says Jacob's King.
Isaiah 65:24 -- "Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.
1 Peter 5:7 -- Cast ALL your anxiety on Him, because HE CARES FOR YOU.

*Hugs*!!!

I would have never thought I would agree with you as much as I do now.

 

[seoulsearch]

I would have never thought I would agree with you as much as I do now.

LOL, Liamson.

What's that old saying? "Miracles do happen!!"

Just kidding and God bless!!!

 

[kessy001]

Kessy, I want to tell you that this is one of the best threads I've read in my time on Christian Chat--thank you so much for posting, as I've heard as well that only faith, and nothing else moves the hand of God.

But I would have to disagree.

Now it's true that when Jesus visited Nazareth, He "could not do many miracles because of their lack of faith" (Matt. 13:58).

Something that I find to be personally fascinating is God's PERSONALITY--who He really is. After all, we are made in His image and so our emotions are modeled after the very Maker of the Universe.

A few of my favorites passages on this subject are:

1. When God calls Moses, and explains to him, "I have observed the misery of My people in Egypt, and have HEARD THEM CRYING OUT because of their oppressors, and I know about their sufferings. I HAVE COME DOWN TO RESCUE THEM... The Israelites CRY FOR HELP has come to Me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them." (Exodus 3:7-9.)

I LOVE this whole story because God is basically saying, "I heard, and I went to go see for Myself, and now I am going to do something about it."

2. When Hagar and Ishmael are sent away by Abraham, Hagar leaves Ishmael and walks away, saying, "I can't stay to watch him die." As she sat by, she "wept loudly". But Genesis 21:17 says, "God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar and said to her, 'What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the voice of your son crying from the place where he is. Get up, help and sustain him, for I will make him a great nation.'"

3. Last but not least (I have more examples but didn't want to make this go on too long): JOHN 11:35 -- JESUS WEPT.

Jesus is God. If God Himself cries in human form... I am pretty sure that our tears move the hand of God. Now, someone might argue it was Jesus' faith and not His tears that moved God to raise Lazarus from the dead, but I have a tough time believing that God did not pay attention to BOTH.

Hope this helps and God bless. God always wants us to share our true emotions with Him!!

Isaiah 62:6,7 -- "SUBMIT YOUR CASE," says the Lord. "PRESENT YOUR ARGUMENTS," says Jacob's King.
Isaiah 65:24 -- "Even before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear.
1 Peter 5:7 -- Cast ALL your anxiety on Him, because HE CARES FOR YOU.

*Hugs*!!!

Thanks seoul, for the compliment and also for sharing. you took it to a whole new level with those scriptures. God bless you. And hey congrats! you won your self a believer too.. please don't take it the wrong way Liamson.

 

[seoulsearch]

Something else I wanted to add about tears vs. faith:

The Israelites had been slaves for 400 years and the Egyptian's treatment of them became more and more brutal as time went on. The God they knew had supposedly been silent, or certainly hadn't been saying much, for this entire period, and 400 years is a very long time.

Hagar was a slave who had been impregnated by her master, most likely against her will, and she was presumably not even an Israelite, but interestingly, she knew who God was when He called to her.

My point is, during these times, I highly doubt that faith was at an all-time high here. Most likely these people were thinking, "Who is God? We haven't seen or heard from Him for centuries..." AND YET GOD HEARD... AND MOVED. The people totally rejected Moses as a leader but that didn't stop God from totally kicking Egyptian butt and leading His people through 40 years of travels to fulfill a promise He had made, DESPITE their repeated LACK of faith. Sometimes God moves just because He's God, not because of us or our faith or lack there of.

We don't know or understand God's rules for how much faith is required or why He does or doesn't always act, but one thing we do know: GOD LISTENS. GOD CARES. AND GOD HEARS OUR CRIES WHEN WE CALL OUT TO HIM. However He responds... I guess that's where our faith REALLY kicks in -- our response to His answer shows our true faith.

Jesus' anguish in the garden was so great that his sweat was "like great drops of blood." He even said Himself, "I am full of sorrow... even to the point of death." Did He cry during this time? The Bible doesn't explicitly say, but it does say that on the cross, Jesus CRIED OUT, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" I don't know if He shed actual tears but I'm sure the emotions He was feeling--and expressing--were probably far BEYOND what any tear could express. AND WE KNOW GOD HEARD. But, we also know God's answer.

Of all the "titles" for Jesus (Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Blessed Messiah, etc.), my very favorite is "IMMANUEL" because I have read that it is translated: "GOD WITH US."

Not "God above us a hundred thousand miles away," "God hovering out there somewhere in the atmosphere," "God standing casually aloof and callous to our problems," but GOD. WITH. US.

GOD in the MIDST of our most troubling situations, embarrassing choices, heartbreaking tragedies, biggest regrets... At the very heart of even the very worst of any circumstance we could find ourselves in, God is WITH US. And He hears every single last cry.

(Sorry to go on a tangent here but you've hit upon a subject I am extremely passionate about.)