Unanswered prayers, missed opportunities, broken hearts… many circumstances can make us shed tears. But in the hands of God, these tears are seeds that will give us joy later.

Difficult times produce a deep work in our soul. In the darkest times, we may feel like we will never get out of trouble. But a passage from the Psalms will give us hope. “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him”, (Psalms 126:5-6 NKJV). These tears that we shed are the seeds of shouts of joy. Let’s not give up hope if our outlook looks bleak. God has a way to break the darkness.

We’ve all had those times when we’ve shed enough tears to water a plant. The grief and pain that produced those tears ran deep and left lasting scars. The psalmist presents this beautifully in this psalm by comparing shedding tears to sowing seeds of joy. At the beginning of the Psalm, he celebrates the joy the Lord has brought. And at the end, he remembers the pain that the nation of Israel went through before.

If we are in a time of sorrow, let us remember that God is with us as we endure it, but also that He will bring us out of it in a season of joy. Let’s not despise hard times because God shows us our hearts and where He is trying to make improvements. These tears will bear fruit in our life later. The burden we feel right now will not always be there. God is faithful and at work in our life.

If we are in a season of joy, let us not forget the difficult season that we have just come out of. Let us not forget to give God the glory of having brought us through the valley of darkness. Part of the fruit we are enjoying right now is due to fallow tillage during our low point. When we meet someone who is about to shed tears, let us be their greatest encouragement. Let’s show them how faithful God is and how they will be successful.