He Was Preparing Me Through Every Tear
Times Of Refreshing Daily Devotional
Date: Thursday, 13 August 2026
Topic: Looking Back, I See Jesus Everywhere (Day 5)
Focus: He Was Preparing Me Through Every Tear
🔥Theme:
Discovering the fingerprints of Christ in every season of life—even in the moments we did not recognize Him.
📖 Key Verse:
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20 (NIV)
Devotional:
There were tears I never thought would become part of my testimony. At the time, they simply hurt. There were disappointments I could not explain, losses I wished I could reverse, and moments when I prayed for God to change the situation but nothing changed immediately. I did not see anything beautiful in those seasons. I only wanted them to end. Looking back, I see something I could not see then. Jesus was using even my tears. Pain has a way of teaching lessons that comfort cannot teach. It showed me how deeply I needed God. It softened places in my heart that had become hard. It gave me compassion for people whose struggles I might once have misunderstood. Some of the things I can understand about others today are because I once cried similar tears myself.
Joseph’s journey was filled with painful chapters. Betrayal, slavery, false accusation, and imprisonment were never what he would have chosen. Yet when he finally looked back, he could see that God had been working through every chapter. The pain did not become good, but God brought good from it. That distinction matters.
📖 Scripture Reading:
- Psalm 56:8 — “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 — God comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others.
- Genesis 50:20 — “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”
💧 Refreshing for the Day:
God does not need to cause every painful thing in order to redeem it.
There are things that happen because we live in a broken world. There are wounds caused by people, consequences of choices, and losses we may never fully understand. Yet none of them are beyond the redeeming hands of Jesus.
Looking back, I can see that some tears watered things in me that would later grow.
Compassion grew. Wisdom grew. Patience grew. Dependence on God grew. And somehow, through what I never wanted to experience, Jesus was preparing me to become someone who could comfort others with the comfort I had received from Him. I would never call every painful chapter good. But I can call Jesus faithful in every chapter. He met me in the tears. He stayed through the questions. He healed what needed healing. And He refused to let my pain have the final word. Looking back now, I realize that even in the seasons that hurt the most, Jesus was still writing something beautiful into my story. Stay Refreshed!
✨ Note This:
🌿 Some of the compassion, wisdom, and strength you carry today were quietly formed in seasons you once wished had never happened.
🛡️ Responsibility:
Think about one painful season from your past. Do not deny what it cost you, but ask God to show you what He has produced in your life through it. Then look for someone who may need the comfort, wisdom, or encouragement you gained along the way.
🙏 Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being near to me in every painful season. Thank You for seeing every tear and remaining faithful when I could not understand what was happening. Heal every place in me that still carries pain, and redeem every difficult chapter for Your glory. Use what I have walked through to deepen my compassion, strengthen my faith, and help me become a source of encouragement to others. May nothing I have suffered be wasted in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
🌿 Prophetic Declaration:
My pain will not have the final word. God is redeeming every difficult chapter of my story and bringing beauty from places that once held tears. I will not live imprisoned by yesterday. I will walk forward healed, wiser, stronger, and more compassionate. What was meant to weaken me will become a testimony of God’s sustaining grace, and my life will bring hope to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
As always, thank you for reading and until next time. May today’s Times of Refreshing refresh, encourage and empower you! For previous devotionals, please visit: www.thefountspring.org
