"A time to weep, and a time to laugh."

-Ecclesiastes 3:4

In our humanness, we experience both sorrow and joy. We are exhorted to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep." In both cases, we do not need to hide our emotions. When He became a man, the Lord Himself had feelings just like us. He openly wept and rejoiced. Three times it is recorded that He wept: over Jerusalem’s unwillingness to come to Him, in the Garden of Gethsemane as His time had come, and at the death of Lazarus. When we are faced with rejection, or with a life-threatening situation, or the death of a loved one, we, too, like our Lord, weep. On the other hand, our Lord rejoiced that the seventy He sent out were saved, and at the same time, there was "joy in the presence of the angels of God" even if just one sinner was to repent. We are to greatly rejoice when someone turns to Christ for forgiveness and eternal life. But as long as we are earthbound, there will be times of weeping. Here on earth is the "time to weep." We do not see the risen Lord or the angels of heaven weeping, and neither shall we. He will be in our presence and wipe away every tear from our eyes. The time to weep will pass. Be encouraged!

Scripture References: Ecclesiastes 3:4; Romans 12:15; Luke 19:41, Hebrews 5:7; John 11:35; Luke 10:21, 15:10: Revelation 21:4