Why do bad things happen to good people? Hell if I know; it’s not nearly as important to me as affirming people’s pain and reminding them God has not abandoned them. While I know not everyone shares this view, I adamantly believe God does not engineer our suffering, but God is still very much present in it. God is not some removed observer; God is an active co-mourner. Romans 8:26 says the Holy Spirit groans and sighs alongside us, and we know God weeps because we know Jesus weeps.

The shortest verse in the bible is “Jesus wept” (John 11:35), and I’m convinced this verse is short so we’ll remember it better. “Jesus wept” reminds us God shares in our sorrow when we’re in pain, and “Jesus wept” also gives us license to weep as well. When you find yourself holding back tears or trying to bottle up your sadness or anger or disappointment, remember: Jesus wept, so it’s okay for you to weep too.

God’s presence may not always mean a positive diagnosis or the restoration of lost relationships or some other dramatic turnaround in life circumstances, but it does mean we’re never alone. We are lifted up and embraced by a God who cries.

For the first in this series (“Slow Down”), click here.