I was doing really good today and thought I was starting to turn a corner in the grieving process.
Then, I got in the car and headed out to run a couple of errands, turning on the radio as I left.
That’s when I heard this song . . .
And just like that, the floodgates opened up, with my tears keeping pace with the rain that started to come down outside. (Coincidence or not?)
As I listened to the lyrics, I felt as though my heart was talking to God . . . the words echoing the thoughts and feelings I’ve had since last week.
As I walk this great unknown
Questions come and questions go
Was there purpose for the pain?
Did I cry these tears in vain?
I’ve been a Christian since I was a teenager, and I’ve been through some hard times, so I know, with certainty, that there is a purpose for everything, and that my tears are never in vain.
I don’t want to live in fear
I want to trust that You are near
Trust Your grace can be seen
In both triumph and tragedyI have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You’re with me and You won’t let go.
Isn’t it hard not to live in fear when you experience one setback after another? The Mr. and I have talked about this . . . how we dread losing another pet because of the pain we’ve been through with Aubie and, most recently, Molly’s passings.
Then, I heard the next verse . . .
But sometimes my faith feels thin
Like the night will never end
Will You catch every tear
Or will You just leave me here?
As I heard the words, “Will you catch every tear,” I had a picture in my mind of a scene in the final Harry Potter movie. In that scene, Snape has been dealt a fatal blow by Voldemort, and as he lay dying, Harry approaches him. Snape and Harry had been at odds for years, and Snape had killed Dumbledore, so he was very much hated. Yet, he tells Harry to get something to catch one of his tears.
Harry obeys, and he rushes to Dumbledore’s office, drops the tear into the Pensieve (a basin used for this purpose), and discovers a side of Snape that he didn’t know about before.
That scene takes a toll on my heartstrings on a regular day. This afternoon, well, yeah. It was brutal. There is just so much wrapped into these four-plus minutes.
Think about the number of memories attached to each one of our tears. Our tears tell the story of our lives. If this story was painted, I envision it being done in watercolor.
Sometimes, there are happy tears, and we rejoice; other times we are sad, so we grieve.
Ultimately, when we examine the reasons for our tears, and if we are open to it, we can see purpose in the events that led to the tears.
Of course, if events have recently transpired, then we won’t necessarily understand the purpose. That’s where faith comes in.
When Harry Potter sees Snape’s memories, he realizes that everything that Snape went through was because of his love for Harry’s mother and, ultimately, his love for Harry himself.
So it is that I imagine that the Lord is catching all of my tears and guarding them closely, aware that it is through them that my deepest joys and sorrows are expressed . . . especially when words fail me.
My tears are not in vain, and there is a purpose for my pain. I don’t fully understand the reason, but I praise God that He knows, and that He will not let anything go to waste in my life.
This week, #findingjoyinthejourney has been tough, but I press on, thankful that God is my strength.
Filed under: Christian, Pets | Tagged: grief, Harry Potter | 1 Comment »
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