Culture told me it isn’t manly to cry.
That’s silly. It’s profoundly human to find yourself in tears. Not only is it a normal human response to suffering, it’s a Christ-like response to your pain. The shortest verse in scripture is one of the most powerful. John 11:35 simply says, “Jesus wept.” In this passage, we see Jesus weeping at the funeral of His dear friend, Lazarus. When he saw the grief of Mary, his sister, “He was deeply moved in the spirit and troubled” (John 11:33).
I imagine this was not just a singular tear dripping down His cheek, either. For the Bible to include this verse with such emphasis, it must have been a sniffly-nosed howl of a cry. Yes, I imagine Jesus ugly-cried at the tomb. Jesus weeping is a powerful reminder to you and me. He felt Mary and Martha’s pain when Lazarus passed away. Let me assure you that He feels your pain, too. If it matters to you, it matters to Jesus. If it breaks your heart, it breaks His heart.
God hears and responds to the cries of His people (Psalm 120:1).