A Prayer Beyond Words

There are moments when words fall short. In the silence where pain and longing settle deep within our hearts a prayer rises that may not need words at all.

The song "Until These Tears Are Gone" captures that longing: for comfort, for presence, for something or Someone greater than ourselves who still draws near.

Tears That Are Not Forgotten

In Psalm 56:8 (NIV) we read:

"You have kept count of my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?"

This image speaks deeply. Tears are not rejected, ignored, or dismissed. They are gathered. They matter.

In a world that often urges us to hide our tears or sees them as weakness, this psalm gently tells us: your sorrow matters.
It is seen.
It is kept.
It is known.

A Hopeful Future, a Present God

Scripture speaks of tears often not to glorify them, but to give them space.

In Revelation 21:4, we find this promise:

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

This is not a promise of a quick fix. It's not a theological formula.

It's a hopeful glimpse into what lies ahead,
but also an invitation for now:
God is present where tears are shed.

Not as a distant force,
but as a co-suffering presence.
As Someone who doesn't ask us to be strong,
but who seeks us out in our vulnerability.

"You meet me here, and I'm not alone."

What if we didn't have to find God through perfect words or the right beliefs
but rather, in the space where we are allowed to be ourselves:
broken, longing, questioning?

A non-dogmatic theology acknowledges that perhaps God doesn't fit into one fixed form.
That mystery, silence, waiting,
and even not-knowing can be part of faith.

In that sense, this song becomes a kind of psalm set to music
a prayer without doctrine, but full of longing.

Questions for Reflection

🕊️ Where in your life are there still tears that perhaps remain unseen?
🕊️ What would it mean for you to believe that you are not alone in those tears?

Prayer

Father in Heaven,
I don't always know how to find You,
but I long for peace, for comfort, for light.
Meet me here where I truly am,
not where I think I should be.
Until these tears are gone.
Amen.