The Prayer of Tears

I can only speak for Western Culture, because that is where I live. But we don't see prayer joined with tears nearly enough in this country. The fourth type of prayer that I want to guide you in is the Prayer of Tears. What is it? It is being "cut to the heart" over our distance and offense to the goodness of God(Acts2:37). It involves weeping over our sins and the sins of the world. Jesus offered up loud cries and prayers with tears (Heb.5:7). Paul went to Asia "serving the Lord with all humility and tears."(Acts 20:31). For sure, this isn't that quick surface prayer in the morning or "now, I lay me down to sleep" at night. This is getting real with God, and seeing ourselves as we are. Paul said, "O what a wretched man I am, who will rescue me from this body of death."(Rom.7:24)Jesus was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." --- The prayer of tears isn't fun. It doesn't sound encouraging, but it is liberating when we get honest before God. We get deep with God, and out of this He rescues us; and brings a deeper joy. When is the last time you shed tears before God owning your sins before Him; or cried out in prayer for others? Find a quiet place. If you need some reading to get you started, check out what Jesus went through for you by reading Isaiah 53.