Sorrow is not a characteristic we normally attribute to God, as we tend to see Him in one of three ways: a perpetually happy kind of God who never hurts, an apathetic God who does not feel, or an angry God who does not pity. Yet, as one looks in the Bible - both Old and New Testaments depict God as one who aches over His people. But because we are made in His image, we have the capacity to grieve. In the Old Testament, God is wrought with grief over Israel for constantly worshiping other idols: "O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from Me comes your fruit." (Hos 14:8). Can you not hear the heartache in His voice? Despite this, He promises to never leave as He says here: "Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he My darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do remember him still. Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the LORD." (Jer 31:20). In the New Testament, Jesus is depicted weeping twice: over Jerusalem (Lk 19:41) and over Lazarus' death (Jn 11:35). God became human flesh, and He wept with us as well as for us. He was truly "a Man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief" (Isa 53:3).

Having experienced grief many times myself, I have seen how sorrow can be a plumb line - what grieves us is often indicative of our heart's condition as we hold it up to the Lord's perfect one in comparison. What breaks our heart? Is it based on material losses and desires of this earthly life that keep us from drawing to God? Is what we grieve over what makes our Heavenly Father's heart grieve, too? When we see the pain of others, do we weep with them and strive to comfort and console as He does? (Rom 12:15b) Is what we grieve a kind of godly sorrow described in 2 Corinthians 7:10, or is it sadness focused on the wrong things? Or - is grief something too unpleasant to think about, a kind of suffering we try to avoid through hard hearts and "brushing off" of difficult news whether it be for ourselves or others?

I truly believe Christ-followers are called to cleave to Jesus' heart, and thus grieve for what breaks His heart; then taking action whether it's prayer or through some other means. I also believe it is a means in which we become refined to reflect Christ more, and gain wisdom through the process of grieving (Ecc 1:18). I don't think we are to perpetually live in a vale of tears, as we are called to live with the fullness of the hope and joy Christ promises His people (Jn 15:11), and that "weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Ps 30:5). As Ecclesiastes 3:4 also says: "For everything there is a season...a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..." There's a time and place for everything, which includes grieving. And we have the promise of being comforted! (Mt 5:4) The Lord is near to the brokenhearted - He binds up their wounds, and heals them. (Ps 34:18, 147:3) He is the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction (2 Cor 1:3). He understands. He knows, intimately, what we feel when our own hearts break. He aches with us, as He did with Mary and Martha when Lazarus died.

Let us carry each other's burdens (Gal 6:2), and look for the glorious hope of the One who will wipe away all of our tears one day. (Rev 21:4) Break our hearts for what breaks Yours, Lord.