Holding Back Tears

There have been several things this week that have caused me to try and hold back tears. Many of them are on a related subject, marriage. I am so thankful and so blessed to have the husband that I do. We have been blessed with a wonderful marriage. It is not one without struggles, every marriage takes work. We have a great God and have been blessed abundantly. It almost brings me to tears of joy to think of the abundance of grace, mercy, strength, and blessings the Lord has provided us in our marriage.   A cousin of mine recently celebrated 23 years of marriage!  In my family that is unbelievable!!!  I know some of the struggles they have gone through and know of the amazing working of God in their lives.  As I think upon this tears of joy begin to well up inside of me!

However, this week I received news of the pending divorce of some dear, dear friends of ours.  You hear of how divorce is just as common in the church; nothing makes that more strikingly evident than to realize that you know those who are going through it.  Tears of brokenheartedness for our friends well up inside. 

Tears for the state of the church are also building.  In the desire to minister to those of divorce, accountability and shame have been removed.  Yes, I said shame.  We are not to be shaming others but sin should carry shame.  Sin is shameful.  We are to hold others accountable.  This (holding others accountable) should be a part of our ministry to those who are struggling.  God desires reconciliation and provides the way and the healing.  It is not an easy road but how great and big is God??? 

In my husband’s line of work, he sees almost on a daily basis marriages falling apart.  It makes us more thankful for our own.   I have been contemplating this week my many tears.  Maybe it is just hormonal (my usual excuse-LOL) but maybe, just maybe, it is as it should be.  We should be in a place where we are brokenhearted and mourn over the sinfulness of this world, we should be brokenhearted and mourn when Christians choose the path of the world rather than God’s plan, and we should well up and cry tears of joy for the great, great God we serve and his many mercies toward us.