The Gift of Tears
A 10-Week Devotional Journey
by
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Praise: Day 1
Parable: Damaging Rains or Beautiful Flowers?
As Jesus and His friends walked along a beach, a terrible storm arose. Wind whipped the waves and fiercely drove the rain. Dark clouds billowed. The wind and waves were powerful and terrifying, full of constant motion, confusion, unrest, unpredictability, and change. Jesus’s friends sensed a merciless lack of control.
Then Jesus opened their eyes to see the scene as He did. Instead of dark clouds, the sky was blue and sunny. Instead of biting rain, countless colorful little flowers swirled and danced in the wind. The flowers filled the air, rich in fragrance, full of joy and beauty. The wind blew constantly and powerfully, but the scene was not fear-filled because the lovely flowers soared, dipped, and twirled in the wind, supported and directed by the Spirit of God.
Jesus explained to His friends that some of them were feeling battered and tossed by storms of change and stress. They felt out of control and fearful of the uncertainties that clouded and battered their worlds. He invited them to see their lives through His lens. Instead of a fearful storm, they were experiencing a season of beauty and fragrance, with all events controlled and directed by His powerful Spirit. The billowing winds didn’t carry dampening rains of fear and destruction but rather beautiful flowers of grace, joy, and peace in the sunshine of His love. He was in control of their world. They didn’t need to be!
As Jesus and His friends continued to walk along the stormy beach, He urged them to submit their lives to Him even in their swirling, unsettling circumstances. He invited them to praise Him and continually ask Him to give them His eyes to see the beauty and fragrance He was creating.
Personal Reflection
Do you feel the wind and storms today around you or someone you love? If so, are you willing to ask Jesus to show you the beauty He is creating in the storm? He invites you to trust Him and not be afraid, because not only will He bring you through the storm but He will also bring good from it.
Write your thoughts here.
Bible Verses
As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” (Luke 8:23–25)
Prayer Activities
• When has God calmed a storm in your life – brought resolution to difficulties?
• What storms are you or a loved one facing right now?
• Listen to “Oceans” by Hillsong UNITED and in the space below doodle what comes to mind as you listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw
• What do you sense God is saying to you in your storm?
• Write a prayer of praise to Him.
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About the Book
Whether your life is stormy with painful circumstances, drizzly with stresses and anxieties, or sunny with a sense that God is in control, The Gift of Tears invites you to experience God’s peace and presence in deeper ways.
Tears are a gift. Though we long for the constant sunshine of happiness and the comfort of a stress-free life, we need the nourishing, refreshing teardrops of life lessons. Without tears, the garden of our heart becomes parched and barren. Thus, God offers us the gift of tears.
In this ten-week devotional, you will journey through life stories of learning to trust God in difficult circumstances, parables from times of listening prayer, insights from contemplating God’s word, and prayer activities that inspire personal prayer and reflection. The Gift of Tears encourages you to experience tears as a blessing, not a burden, and even in life’s storms to thank God for the tears.
About the Author
Annette Ford has lived in seven countries on three continents. Through all the changes, she has learned to experience God’s blessings in her tears. She is passionate about inviting people of all ages to know Jesus and journey with Him. Annette is a pastor, mother, and writer and lives with her family in Toronto, Canada.