The Daily: Thursday September 25, 2025

"My joy is gone, grief is upon me, my heart is sick." - Jeremiah 8:18 

Devotional
Tears can seem so small and insignificant. A drop of water sliding down a cheek—what difference could it possibly make in a world of massive problems? And yet, when drops of water gather together, they become streams, then rivers, capable of reshaping landscapes. In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet cries out in his grief: "Joy abandons me. There is no cure for my grief. My heart is sick." (Jeremiah 8:18). This raw honesty about suffering is not the end of the story but the beginning of transformation. Our tears name the truth of our wounds. They acknowledge what has been lost or broken. But they also contain the potential for renewal.

Like rain softening hardened ground, our grief can prepare the soil of our hearts and communities for new growth. When we allow ourselves to grieve—for personal losses, for injustice, for environmental destruction—we create space for compassionate action to emerge. Our tears become rivers of justice when they move us toward wise stewardship of our resources and capacities. Today, consider how your grief might be preparing you for action. Not action that denies or distracts from pain, but action that flows naturally from a heart broken open by love for the world.

Reflection Question
How might your tears be softening the soil of your heart for new growth? What actions might naturally emerge from your grief if you allowed it to flow rather than damming it up?

"Tears named the truth of the wound. But they are not the end of the story. Tears can soften the soil, preparing the ground for seeds of renewal."    Pastor Jason

Prayer
God who collects our tears, thank you for the gift of grief that connects me to your heart for the world. Help me to see how my tears might become rivers of justice flowing into wounded places. Guide me toward actions that honor both my grief and my hope. May I participate in your healing work even as I continue to weep. Amen.