This Thursday, we’ll be reflecting on one of the most striking emotions that we humans possess – our ability to cry.

Had there ever been a time in your life when you get the feeling of being overwhelmed? That even when life is good, the stresses and strains of every day ups and downs take its toll on you? But then you are not doing anything about it, but just to suck it up and carry on, as if nothing’s wrong?

Have you ever felt that your load is too heavy yet there ain’t nothing you can do to lighten it up? Or somebody to help you carry it through? Ever felt that nobody cares for you? That you’re all alone in this?

More often than we realized, these realities happened at one or more point in our lives. And the best solution to all of these shits? Yes – it is crying.

What does it mean to cry?

Crying they say is a sign of weakness. This probably had already been one of the social stigmas attached to this emotion, and perhaps the reason why we are afraid to cry in public. However others would also say that crying is a sign of strength, strength to admit our vulnerability and weakness, strength of being true to ourselves.  But why not dig deeper? Why don’t we try to see this human reality in light of our faith?

Is Crying to God a Sign of Emotional Weakness?

Have you ever tried crying to God? Letting it all out unto Him when life seems so bad that you feel like bursting into tears? Or simply crying out for help for life’s burden that you could no longer bear?

Is this weakness? Does having the strength to admit that we are weak and dependent upon God a sign of cowardice?

Then why are we afraid to cry?

Do you know that even though we’ve been doing it since we were born, the older we get, the more complicated crying had become?  But sometimes, the most cleansing thing to do to heal our souls is to let those tears loose.

Crying for God is good, for it only means that our love for God is so strong that we are able to override the stigma associated with crying in our quest for God. It is actually weaker for one to hold back the tears as they are scared of being seen as weak.

Crying means that one is pure and at peak of its yearning for God.

When a child (Soul) realizes that its mother (God) is not around, the child starts crying helplessly. This is not fear but the natural instinct that the child was once united with its mother. In return, the mother then has to leave her work, no matter how urgent or critical it is, and take her child in her lap, where there is eternal completeness (union).

Who cries when you do, is it God or is it You, OR is it the God in You?

I hope this Holy Thursday we’ll take a moment to cry our heart out to him. Let the Holy Spirit work its way through you, breaking down those feelings of hatred, envy, greed, and pride. For only when we are already cleansed and empty can we be open to receive God through our lives this Lenten season.

So go ahead and give yourself permission to shed a tear this ‘tears’day. I’m sure it will make you feel better.

This is part of my first ever Wholly Week Special series of posts, with the aim of making your holy week a more meaningful one and that by the end you’ll be once again ‘whole’. Feel free to read through them, be inspired, and inspire others. Have a blessed Lenten Season! Wholly Week Special: ‘Man’day | Wholly Week Special: Choose-day | Wholly Week Special: Weeds-day | Wholly Week Special:  ‘Tears’-day