When my little man cries I have a deep affection and longing for him to get better. And that’s coming from me, a sinner. The perfect Father’s love is flawless and beyond measure. Often in those painful moments of life, God is sanctifying us. He cares too much for us to remain like we are so he works on our character. Refinement comes through pain.

Last week, I wrote about how I became a daddy. I have a son now and I’m in full swing on the dad life. I love it and I love to see him happy. But I hate to see him cry. Call me a newbie, but I’m just not used to all the crying. When he cries, I hurt for him. I want to help. I know I can. But sometimes, I know his tears are necessary.

Take, for example, when we change his diaper. He sometimes cries and throws a fit. He gives the impression that he doesn’t want his diaper changed. Maybe the feeling of being undressed is temporarily uncomfortable. There could be a thousand reasons why he doesn’t like it. But if we don’t change his diaper, he could land a diaper rash and things would be worse.

Or think for a second when he gets shots from the doctor. I don’t want to see him suffer, but I know it’s best for him; if he doesn’t get the shots, something worse could happen. The shots are for his good even if the shots are accompanied by tears.

When I see him cry, three things come to mind:

• I care deeply for his well-being.
• I have the power to help.
• I know that tears are sometimes necessary.

The more I reflect on my relationship with my son when I see him in pain, the more I see a correlation on how God relates to his people when they suffer. The Christian life is filled with seemingly endless and perplexing trials. Over the years, tears have flowed from my eyes and from the eyes of people I love. “Why me, God?” could easily become our mantra. But we must remember that in Christ, our tears are never in vain.

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