“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. Jesus wept.”– John 11:33-35
Devotional Thought
There’s something beautiful that happens when we allow ourselves to truly feel the weight of brokenness around us. Instead of becoming bitter or hardened, we become more compassionate. Instead of growing proud, we become humble. This is the unexpected gift of mourning—it keeps our hearts tender.
When we acknowledge our own brokenness and the world’s pain, we stop pretending we have it all together. We stop judging others harshly because we recognize our shared need for grace. We become the kind of people who can sit with others in their pain because we’ve learned to sit with our own. This tenderness isn’t weakness—it's strength.
It takes courage to feel deeply in a world that encourages numbness. It takes faith to remain soft when everything around us suggests we should build walls. But this is exactly what Jesus modeled for us, weeping at gravesides and over cities, showing us that a heart that mourns is a heart that truly loves.
Reflection Question
How has experiencing your own brokenness made you more compassionate toward others?
Quote
People who refuse to mourn become hardened. They get hard-hearted. But people who embrace mourning become humble, compassionate, patient, and merciful.
Prayer
Lord, keep my heart soft and tender. Don’t let me become hardened by pain, but use it to make me more like You.
The Gift of a Soft Heart
“When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ‘Where have you laid him?’ he asked. Jesus wept.” – John 11:33-35
Devotional Thought
There’s something beautiful that happens when we allow ourselves to truly feel the weight of brokenness around us. Instead of becoming bitter or hardened, we become more compassionate. Instead of growing proud, we become humble. This is the unexpected gift of mourning—it keeps our hearts tender.
When we acknowledge our own brokenness and the world’s pain, we stop pretending we have it all together. We stop judging others harshly because we recognize our shared need for grace. We become the kind of people who can sit with others in their pain because we’ve learned to sit with our own. This tenderness isn’t weakness—it's strength.
It takes courage to feel deeply in a world that encourages numbness. It takes faith to remain soft when everything around us suggests we should build walls. But this is exactly what Jesus modeled for us, weeping at gravesides and over cities, showing us that a heart that mourns is a heart that truly loves.
Reflection Question
How has experiencing your own brokenness made you more compassionate toward others?
Quote
People who refuse to mourn become hardened. They get hard-hearted. But people who embrace mourning become humble, compassionate, patient, and merciful.
Prayer
Lord, keep my heart soft and tender. Don’t let me become hardened by pain, but use it to make me more like You.
Bible Reading Plan
Day 63