When Tears Aren’t Available

1 Samuel 30:4
“Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.”

Two responses happened from the incident of this verse that shows the difference in how God can use people. David and his men had come back from a battle only to find their wives and children had been taken captive by the invasion of the Amalekites. All of these men were tired from the battle, and their weariness only added to the heartbreak of their families being taken captive. The verse above said that they wept “until they had no more power to weep.” In other words, they were so tired from the battle and the heartache that they didn’t even have the strength to cry.

During this time of great grief, these men began to murmur in the background about killing David. I believe David knew that these men were only responding to the heartbreak of the moment, and I believe this is why he did not take it to heart to have these men killed as traitors. However, David’s response to the heartbreak was totally different. How he responded is how every believer should respond when they find themselves in a similar situation of not having any more strength or power to weep. Let me share what you should do when tears are no longer available.

First, don’t take the reactions of others during this time personally. It is in time of heartache that emotions are raw, and many people take the responses of others personally when they should realize that their emotions are not in balance. When your heart is broken to the point where there are no more tears to cry, be careful about taking exception to others’ actions.

Second, find your encouragement in the LORD when you have no more tears to cry. David couldn’t find encouragement from those around him, but he understood that he could find the encouragement he needed from the LORD. There are going to be times in your life when others will not be able to help you, but you can always find the help and encouragement you need from the LORD. The encouragement from the LORD only comes from time in the Word of God and in prayer. My advice to people who are living in great heartache is to spend much time in the Psalms, as they will be a great encouragement to you.

Third, stay busy pursuing the LORD’s work when you have no more tears to cry. Sitting, sulking, and dwelling on your problems only makes your problems worse. Staying busy for the LORD is the greatest balm for heartache. One of the misnomers I often hear is that you must sit while healing in the LORD’s work. My friend, nobody has ever healed from their problems by sitting, because sitting is not a faith action but a self-centered action. The healing for every problem a believer may have will only be found by serving God. God only gives you what you need in your Christian life by being a conduit to others; therefore, if you need healing, you get it by being a help to others. It is while you are trying to help others with their problems that God gives you the help you need during your problems.

Do you find yourself in a situation where you have no more tears to cry? Don’t let this time of grief in your life become a weapon to hurt others. Instead, realize that the only way you will find the healing you need for your heartache is in the LORD; and remember that He gives you that healing through serving Him. Stop dwelling on your heartache, and get busy serving the LORD for that is where help is found.

Author: Allen Domelle