#179: Grace Over Fear: When you feel embarrassed by your tears

INSIDE: Have you ever felt embarrassed by your tears? What is going on when we do not like to cry in front of others? Listen in.

If Jesus wept, if Jesus calls us to suffer with those who suffer and weep with those who weep, why do we fear crying so much?

The reality is that as much as we hate crying, most of us cry relatively often. As image-bearers, we resonate deeply with Jesus as the Man of Sorrows. We cry because we feel so deeply that words cannot convey our grief and heartbreak.

As foundational as tears are, many of us are not big fans of crying, especially in front of others. We may feel embarrassed and ashamed by our tears. We feel:

Vulnerable
Weak
Raw
And as if every defense guarding our heart has been removed.

So, what do we do when we cry?

We try to act like we are not crying.
Or we apologize for crying.

So, what is going on with this fear of – or at least strong dislike and aversion to – crying? Because the truth is:

Crying is a tool God gave us to communicate with Him and others.
We are invited to cry.
Crying is our response to sin and the death that accompanies it.

In today’s episode, you’ll receive practical strategies and anchoring truths for remembering grace overcomes fear and that you do not need to be embarrassed by your tears. You’ll learn:

what we do when we cry in front of others,
why many of us are so averse to crying,
how our enemy leverages our fear of this vulnerability,
and what God says.

Quotes about when you are embarrassed by your tears

“Tears are the language we speak when words are too small.” – Jill E. McCormick
“The words we cannot say turn into tears” – Jill E. McCormick
“God responds to the tears, cries, and sobs of His children.” – Jill E. McCormick
“If you always have your game face on, how does that mask allow others to see the strength and grace of Christ in you and your circumstances?”– Jill E. McCormick
“Our enemy doesn’t want you to cry because when you push down or numb out or power through, you deny yourself comfort from the God of All Comfort and the Prince of Peace.” – Jill E. McCormick
“Your dislike or fear of crying in front of others is no accident. It’s an enemy tactic meant to deprive you of community, truth, love, seeing God’s glory at work in your life, comfort, and peace.” – Jill E. McCormick
“You see, as much as our lives include weeping, our story doesn’t end in tears.” – Jill E. McCormick
“Mourn what needs to be mourned. Cry when language fails. And remember, joy comes in the morning.” – Jill E. McCormick