I remember when I first attended church service in college. What stuck out to me the most was the worship time. My church is blessed with gifted worship leaders so the live music sounded good, but everything else felt foreign. Why are some people raising their hands with their eyes closed? Is the girl next to me crying?
I would stand as rigid as a board as I politely sang along to what felt like a Christian-themed karaoke session.
That former me stands in stark contrast to my present self after 2 years of following Christ:
In the midst of worship, I bop to the rhythm, lift my hands moderately-to-severely (depending on how the Spirit moves me), passionately sing lyrics, and occasionally, I find myself crying. When this happens, I tend to get self-conscious and do my best to hide my tears. I pray for the water to flow back into my tear ducts, but that rarely works. I don't want to be seen or interacted with because if someone asks if I am okay, I would have to awkwardly respond "No, no, I'm fine, I'm just weird and I do this sometimes! Ahaha."
Crying during worship is not unusual, but it's easy to feel this way when there aren't at least a handful of people doing the same thing next to you. Still, this type of response raises the question: Why do Christians cry during worship, alter calls, prayer, and "spiritual" things? After personally reflecting on the times I have been brought to tears, I have come up with five explanations.
1. Feeling the presence of God and the fullness of joy. In God's presence, we experience the fullness of joy that leads some of us to tears at times.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 (ESV)
You can cry tears of happiness from watching a heartwarming movie, but the joyful tears come from experiencing the joy on a whole new level of unabridged satisfaction. We rejoice because we are beloved. We rejoice because through Jesus we are saved and no longer slaves to sin. We experience overwhelming gladness because we can serve a powerful Holy God who is awesome and loves us enough to adopt us. We find joy knowing that nothing on this Earth has the power to take away our salvation through faith, that one day we will be in perfect fellowship with God in heaven. We are told countless times to rejoice:
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:12).
“Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11).
Whether than means you are crying, smiling, or sporting a poker-face, what matters is the sincerity in your hearts. This is not a suggestion; we are commanded by God to rejoice. However, more often than not, we find our emotions bouncing around between a spectrum of apathy and spiritual highs, and intermixed are our own personal struggles and anxieties.
In circumstances where we feel we have failed this command, it is important to remember that God is committed to our joy. We are weak, but fortunately, the fulfillment of joy falls on God and He is working for our ultimate good.
"God in seeking his glory seeks the good of his creatures, because the emanation of his glory . . . implies the . . . happiness of his creatures. And in communicating his fullness for them, he does it for himself, because their good, which he seeks, is so much in union and communion with himself." -Jonathan Edwards
Perhaps you don't yet know what it is like to be in the presence of God. Or you just aren't sure if you have felt it before. Here is a helpful article with practical steps on what to do when you can't feel the presence of God.
One thing that we can do right now is to pray to God, asking that He restore our joy in Him, for we know that God hears our prayers. When we consistently and passionately ask, our Father provides.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." John 5:14
2. Brought to wholeheartedly repent. When we reflect on our rebellion against our just and holy God and contrast that with the perfect love displayed by Jesus's life and sacrifice, it is clear that we are undeserving of mercy. Many worship songs and alter calls remind us of just how much our God loves us and it brings about the godly sorrow necessary for full surrender and repentance. At times, this conviction can bring about tears, but once again it is by no means a prerequisite of knowing God, neither is it a replacement for true repentance that requires confessing and turning away from sin.
"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done..." 2 Corinthians 7:10-11
Perhaps you don't feel the conviction. Pray to God for it! (John 5:14)
Maybe you feel too defeated by your sin to go to God. Sometimes we feel too dirty, broken, and unworthy of love because of specific sins. In these moments, we mustn't let our shame and stubbornness diminish the true vastness of God's extravagant mercy.
"He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:10-12
When I first heard this verse through the lyrics of a worship song, I just shrugged it off. I'm not good with directions, but I got the gist of the message: God has a big capacity to forgive. Is that profound? Not really...
But then I did some scientific snooping and was blown away when I discovered North eventually meets the South, but East never meets West. What this means is that whatever gravity we think our sins have, God's ability to wipe away that transgression is truly infinite. To think we cannot be forgiven is to limit God's power to forgive. In this, we elevate the perceived power of sin, which in reality Jesus already paid the price for. Jesus paid it ALL so "that we might die to sin and live to righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24).
3. I am going through a personal battle and am looking to God for help. There are times where the burdens we carry can overwhelm us. Worship songs and sermons can remind us that we have a God who is a refuge for our times of need. It can be comforting to pray to God knowing that he cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). He understands the pain in our hearts and listens without judgment. He is happy to carry our burdens and strengthen us (Psalm 55:22).
Jesus cries with us when we are broken-hearted. When a man named Lazarus died, Jesus witnessed Lazarus' sister, Mary, mourning him. Jesus would later raise Lazarus up from the dead, but before this, "Jesus wept" with Mary because he felt her pain (John 11:35). In this same way, Jesus cares deeply about our own anguish. He walks alongside us in our suffering, but also has plans to make things right for our ultimate good that we are unable to comprehend. When we have faith in God, we can trust that “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18).
4. Crying for the suffering, injustices, and the unsaved in our broken world. Finding out about the latest social justice issue, political battle, or tragedy is as easy as searching "news" on google. Amidst my friends' casual Instagram stories, I see serious articles, petitions, and infographics about concentration camps in China, Honk Kong protests, domestic acts of terrorism, anti-mask violence, and more disheartening topics.
As the body of Christ, we can find joy and consolation as we trust in God's sovereignty. However, this trust in God should make us fearless against, not careless towards the afflictions in our world. In fact, we are called to love and care for others. We do this by carrying other's burdens and weep with those who weep (Galations 6:2 & Romans 12:15).
This weeping may manifest in actual tears during worship, but it can also be applied as we pray for, serve, give financially, or advocate for others.
It can be a lot to take in and it is okay to recharge by taking a break from the news, but there is no running from the truth that we live in a broken world. It can be daunting to try and address every suffering person in the world.
I remember feeling overwhelmed with this call to uphold justice. I did not know how to start. How can someone like me make a difference in the BLM movement, end homelessness, or bring my family to Christ when they seem so attached to worldly treasures? That's when we have to remember that we aren't the saviors. Jesus is the messiah who saves and brings people to Him. Our task is to show love to those around us. My small group leader reminded me that as a part of his divine plan, God has placed each of us in a unique social sphere. Perhaps you volunteer at a nursing home, have an online following, or unsaved members in your family. These are your spheres of influence that God calls you to be a light to.
Our duty is to not just be bystanders for the communities that we are a part of, we are called to Love and live justly once we understand the basis of biblical justice. (Micah 6:8) God created man in His image, because of this everyone deserves dignity and respect (Genesis 1:26-27). Let us not be ashamed as we weep for the ongoing pains of society. Let us keep doing our best to fight for biblically-rooted justice. And let us continue praying to God to be working in this broken world, remembering to root our joy in our eternal salvation that no one can snatch away (John 10:28).
5. I am reminded of God's faithfulness and am overcome with gratitude. My greatest sob session arose when I truly realized God loves me and has been with me my whole life. Even when I did not know Him, He was working on a path to bring me to Jesus. Even when I rebelled from Him, He looked at me with loving eyes and open arms for my return. When I was running towards things of this world, He brought me back and still allowed me to experience the peace that comes from being in His presence. Even when I personally failed in living out my faith, He patiently helped me grow more like Christ. Through past sufferings, broken relationships, and continued personal trials, He has made me the person I am today. Even now, as I continue to struggle with sins, insecurity, and lack of faith, God is listening to my prayers and has a plan for me that I can not even comprehend. I know that even when I make mistakes, I can trust in God's perfect sovereignty. It gives me peace and assurance for the future as God works for each of our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). We are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of Christ (Psalm 139:14). From start to end He has a divine plan for us.
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."– Proverbs 19:21
Some things to remember:
Tears during worship are NOT a sign of weakness, but a display of joy, godly sorrow, surrender, & love.
Crying is normal and it is healthy to express your emotions. You shouldn't have to worry about hiding your tears. It may even help others around you to see that it is okay for them too if they have a similar reaction later.
Not crying is also normal. We should not equate tears to spirituality, or the absence of tears to ungodliness. God is more concerned with your heart.
Jesus was a man of sorrow & we are also called to weep for one another. Pray for a loving heart aligned with God's.
God places you in a unique sphere of influence. We are called to walk righteously and be a light to our communities.
God was, is, and always will be faithful.
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Great posts! Thanks for sharing