1-2. What situations could make us shed tears?

 AT ONE time or another, we have all shed tears. When we go through situations that make us very happy, we might shed tears of joy. Perhaps you cried when something important or special happened to you​—for instance, when your child was born, when you recalled a fond memory, or when you welcomed a dear friend whom you had not seen in years.

² However, all too often, our tears reflect the pain we feel deep in our heart. For example, we might cry when someone sorely disappoints us. We might shed tears when suffering intense pain because of an unrelenting sickness or when mourning the loss of a loved one in death. At such times, we might feel as did the prophet Jeremiah when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. Jeremiah said: “Streams of water flow from my eyes . . . My eyes weep without ceasing, without pausing.”​—Lam. 3:48, 49.

 3. How does Jehovah feel when he sees his servants suffer? (Isaiah 63:9)

³ Jehovah knows how many tears we have shed as a result of distressing situations. The Bible assures us that he is aware of whatever painful situation his servants face, and he hears us when we cry out to him for help. (Ps. 34:15) But Jehovah does more than just see us and hear us. Like a loving parent, he is deeply moved when he sees his children cry, and he is eager to provide help.​—Read Isaiah 63:9.

 4. What can we learn from some Bible examples about Jehovah’s thinking?

⁴ In his Word, Jehovah reveals how he responded when his servants shed tears. We can see this by considering the examples of Hannah, David, and King Hezekiah. What made them shed tears? How did Jehovah respond to their cry for help? And how can their example comfort us when we shed tears of sorrow, betrayal, or despair?

TEARS OF SORROW

 5. How did Hannah’s situation make her feel?

⁵ Hannah faced several problems that caused her to shed tears of sorrow. One of these difficulties was that she was in a bigamous marriage, and her husband’s other wife, Peninnah, despised her. As if that were not bad enough, Hannah was childless, while Peninnah had several children. (1 Sam. 1:1, 2) Peninnah relentlessly taunted Hannah about her barrenness. How would you have felt in such a situation? Hannah was so upset that “she would weep and not eat,” and she became “extremely bitter” at heart.​—1 Sam. 1:6, 7, 10.

 6. What did Hannah do to find comfort?

⁶ How did Hannah find comfort? One thing that helped her was that she went to the center of true worship, the tabernacle. There, possibly somewhere near the entrance to the courtyard of the tabernacle, “she began to pray to Jehovah and to weep uncontrollably.” She begged Jehovah: “Look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me.” (1 Sam. 1:10b, 11) Hannah poured out her feelings to Jehovah in prayer. How moved Jehovah must have been to see the tears of this precious daughter of his!

 7. What comfort did Hannah receive by opening her heart to Jehovah?

⁷ How did Hannah feel after she opened her heart to Jehovah in prayer and received assurance from High Priest Eli? The account reads: “The woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer downcast.” (1 Sam. 1:17, 18) Even though her distressing situation had not yet changed, Hannah felt relieved. She had transferred the weight of her emotional burden to Jehovah. He saw her distress, heard her cry, and later blessed her by allowing her to conceive.​—1 Sam. 1:19, 20; 2:21.

8-9. In line with Hebrews 10:24, 25, why should we do all we can to attend Christian meetings? (See also picture.)

⁸ Lessons for us. Are you dealing with a difficult situation that causes you to shed tears of sorrow? Perhaps you are grieving the death of a family member or a friend. At such times, it is only natural to want to be alone. But just as Hannah found comfort and encouragement by going to the tabernacle, you can find comfort by attending Christian meetings​—even if you are not feeling your best. (Read Hebrews 10:24, 25.) As we listen to comforting Bible passages at meetings, Jehovah can help us replace negative thoughts with positive ones. That can help us control our emotions, even if our situation does not immediately improve.

⁹ At our meetings, we also enjoy wholesome association with compassionate fellow believers, whose expressions of concern and love can lift our spirits. (1 Thess. 5:11, 14) Consider the experience of a special pioneer brother who lost his wife in death. He said: “I still shed tears. Sometimes, I will sit in a corner and just cry. But our meetings have been a true source of encouragement. The beautiful expressions of my brothers and sisters are really soothing to me. No matter how anxious, or worried, I am before I arrive at the meeting, I always feel better there.” When we are at our meetings, Jehovah can use our brothers and sisters to help us.

10. How might we follow Hannah’s example when we are hurting emotionally?

¹⁰ Hannah also gained comfort by pouring out her feelings to Jehovah in prayer. You too can “throw all your anxiety on [Jehovah],” confident that he will listen. (1 Pet. 5:7) A sister whose husband was killed in an armed robbery recalled: “I felt as if my heart had been broken into tiny fragments and it would never heal. My comfort and solace came from praying to my loving heavenly Father, Jehovah. Sometimes, I couldn’t find the right words, but he understood me. When I was an emotional wreck, I would pray for peace. I could feel a calm come over my heart and mind and could then go on.” When you pour out your concerns to Jehovah, he is deeply moved by your tears of sorrow, understanding your pain of heart. Even if the cause of your anxiety remains, Jehovah can soothe your troubled heart and help you to feel a measure of peace. (Ps. 94:19; Phil. 4:6, 7) And he will reward your faithful endurance.​—Heb. 11:6.

TEARS OF BETRAYAL

11. How did the troubling situations that David faced make him feel?

¹¹ During his life, David had to endure several troubling situations that made him shed tears. He faced hostility from others and even betrayal by those he trusted. (1 Sam. 19:10, 11; 2 Sam. 15:10-14, 30) At one point, he wrote: “I have grown weary with my sighing; all night long I soak my bed with tears; I flood my couch with weeping.” Why did David feel that way? “Because of all those harassing me,” he explained. (Ps. 6:6, 7) The hurtful actions of others caused David such pain that his tears flowed freely.

12. As indicated at Psalm 56:8, of what was David convinced?

¹² Despite the adversities that David faced, he was convinced that Jehovah loved him. He wrote: “Jehovah will hear the sound of my weeping.” (Ps. 6:8) On another occasion, David made the intriguing statement that we find at Psalm 56:8. (Read.) Those words paint a touching portrait of Jehovah’s tender care. David felt as if Jehovah were collecting his tears in a bottle or recording them in a book. David was sure that Jehovah noticed and remembered his pain. David was convinced that his loving heavenly Father was aware not only of what he had been through but also of how it had affected him.

13. When others disappoint us, what can we take comfort in? (See also picture.)

¹³ Lessons for us. Are you coping with emotional distress caused by disappointment or by betrayal from someone you trusted? Maybe you are suffering heartache because your courtship or marriage ended unexpectedly, or maybe someone you love stopped serving Jehovah. A brother whose wife committed adultery and abandoned him said: “I was in a state of shock and disbelief. I felt useless, sad, and angry.” If you are coping with betrayal or disappointment, take comfort in knowing that Jehovah will never abandon you. The brother said: “I have come to realize that human relationships can fail, but Jehovah is our Rock. No matter what happens, he is always there. He will not leave his loyal ones.” (Ps. 37:28) Remember, too, that Jehovah’s love exceeds that of any human. As painful as being betrayed by someone may be, it has no bearing on how much Jehovah cares for you. (Rom. 8:38, 39) The point is: Regardless of how a person has treated you, your heavenly Father loves you.

14. What assurance does Psalm 34:18 give us?

¹⁴ When coping with betrayal, we can also be comforted by David’s reassuring words found at Psalm 34:18. (Read.) One reference work says that those “crushed in spirit” may refer to “those who have nothing good to look forward to.” How does Jehovah respond to those who feel that way because of bitter disappointment? Like a loving parent who holds and comforts a child in distress, Jehovah “is close to” us​—ever compassionate and ready to help us if we feel crushed by betrayal or loss. He is eager to comfort and soothe our broken heart and pained spirit. And he gives us many things to look forward to that help us endure our present trials.​—Isa. 65:17.

TEARS OF DESPAIR

15. What situation did Hezekiah face that made him weep?

¹⁵ At the age of 39, King Hezekiah of Judah learned that he had a terminal illness. The prophet Isaiah delivered Jehovah’s message that Hezekiah would die from his sickness. (2 Ki. 20:1) There seemed to be no hope for Hezekiah. Devastated by the news, Hezekiah wept profusely. He prayed to Jehovah fervently.​—2 Ki. 20:2, 3.

16. How did Jehovah respond to Hezekiah’s tearful plea?

¹⁶ Jehovah was touched by Hezekiah’s tearful plea and kindly said to him: “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Here I am healing you.” Through Isaiah, Jehovah mercifully promised to extend his life and to rescue Jerusalem out of the hands of the Assyrians.​—2 Ki. 20:4-6.

17. How does Jehovah sustain us when we are facing serious health challenges? (Psalm 41:3) (See also picture.)

¹⁷ Lessons for us. Are you facing a health situation that appears to be hopeless? Turn to Jehovah in prayer, even in tears. The Bible assures us that “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort” will comfort us in all our trials. (2 Cor. 1:3, 4) Today we cannot expect Jehovah to remove all our problems, but we can count on him to sustain us. (Read Psalm 41:3.) By means of his holy spirit, Jehovah gives us strength, wisdom, and inner peace to cope. (Prov. 18:14; Phil. 4:13) He also sustains us through our Bible-based hope of seeing all forms of illness eliminated.​—Isa. 33:24.

18. What scripture have you found comforting when dealing with an extremely trying situation? (See the box “ Soothing Expressions to Dry Our Tears.”)

¹⁸ Hezekiah was comforted by Jehovah’s words. We can similarly find comfort in God’s Word. Jehovah has preserved soothing words that can lift our spirits when we face distressing situations. (Rom. 15:4) When a sister in West Africa was diagnosed with cancer, she often wept. She relates: “One scripture that I particularly find comforting is Isaiah 26:3. Even though we seldom have full control over the trials we face, that verse reassures me that Jehovah can give us the kind of inner peace that helps us control how we react to the trials.” Is there a scripture that you have found especially soothing when you are facing situations that seem extremely trying, maybe even hopeless?

19. What future awaits us?

¹⁹ We are living deep in the last days, and we expect that causes of tears will only increase. But as we noted from the examples of Hannah, David, and King Hezekiah, Jehovah sees the tears we shed and is deeply moved by them. Our tears are truly precious to him. So when we face distressing situations, we certainly want to pour out our heart to Jehovah in prayer. May we never isolate ourselves from our loving brothers and sisters in the congregation. And may we continue to find comfort in the soothing words recorded in the Bible. We can be sure that if we keep enduring faithfully, Jehovah will reward us. That includes the wonderful promise that in time he will wipe out every tear of sorrow, betrayal, and despair from our eyes. (Rev. 21:4) Then we will shed only tears of joy.