Your Tears Are Welcome Here

BY ELIZABETH TEH

            In Glory Presbyterian Church, we celebrate Parents’ Day in conjunction with Mother’s Day. Happy Parents’ Day to all parents and expectant parents!

            Parents’ Day is indeed a wonderful time of celebration and joy. It is also a time for the church community to affirm and encourage parents as they go through the journey of parenthood.

            However, such an occasion is not always a joyous one for everyone. Sometimes it is a reminder of a miscarriage, or seemingly unanswered prayers when we’ve been asking God for a child. This day can also be a reminder of a child who has grown distant and detached, or a child who has since passed on. Or maybe this day serves as a reminder to some of the absence of a parent figure or even the departure of a dearly loved parent.

            So while Parents’ Day can be a wonderful time of celebration for the wider community, it can also be a glaring reminder of grief and heartache for others.

            The book of Psalms is a beautiful book in the Bible that reminds us of who God is in the midst of such moments. Even in the depths of sorrow, the psalmists are hopeful because they can still praise God for who He is and what He has done.

            Isn’t it encouraging to know that, regardless of circumstances, we serve a God who loves and cares for us and is sovereign above it all? The book of Psalms teaches us how to find such joy in the midst of heartache and pain.

            So if you are feeling sad or in despair this Parents’ Day, turn to our loving Father and cry out to Him just like the psalmists did. Remember who He is and what He has done. He will not leave you nor forsake you. He wants to be near you as you are hurting.

            Whether the grief we feel lasts only a day or stretches to an entire lifetime, we can be hopeful and rest in the assurance that there will be a day when God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.

            At the same time, reach out to your community within the church and let someone know if you need prayer and support. We are a spiritual family, and a family journeys with each other through life’s ups and downs.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

PSALM 42:11 ESV