"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Palm 126:5-6
She sat alone in church, weeping. Her mouth moved, but sounds did not pour forth from her lips. The church leader thinking she was drunk approached her and tried to remove her from the sanctuary. He was startled to find out that her actions were a result of deep anguish. Hannah laid bare the pain of being childless to this man of God. With renewed understanding, he blessed her and sent her on her way. A year later, Hannah, filled with joy, held her new born baby boy in her arms!
Has your soul ever been in deep anguish where life seems to come to a complete halt? You can't think straight, you don't function well and tears seem to be your best friend. In the Bible we hear many that have asked God, "Why is my soul so downcast?" It is a valid question! "Lord, why is my soul so downcast?" For years it seems that I have asked the Lord that same question and many times it went unanswered.
What I have discovered is that the areas of anguish, where I lay bare my pain and requests to the Lord are actually what the Psalmist says in Psalm 126, "Sow(ing) in tears." I now see that each tear, request, place of brokenness and pain are actually seeds placed in the soil of God's love! When I look back a year or two or ten, I find joy in the harvest of seeing what God grew out of those seeds of dispair. Somehow it encourages me to continue to sow in tears. It brings hope to know that someday I will see a harvest in place of this barren place! When I see the harvest, that is when I get to shout with joy to my God for bringing me through!
