The Hope That Dries All Tears
About this episode
By Michael A. Youssef, Ph.D.
Read John 20:11-15.
Mary Magdalene had been rescued by Jesus from seven demons—and from the crushing shame of sin—so her devotion ran deep (Luke 8:2). While others fled in fear, Mary stayed near Jesus through His suffering and crucifixion, steadfast and unashamed. She saw enough to know He truly died, so when His body was missing from the tomb, she assumed the only explanation: someone had stolen Him.
Then came the turning point. Through her tears, Mary was asked twice why she was crying—first by angels, then by Jesus Himself: “Woman, why are you crying?” (John 20:15). Dr. Youssef explains that Jesus wasn’t dismissing her grief—He was lovingly correcting her conclusion. Her sorrow was rooted in a mistaken belief: she was searching for a corpse, but God had provided a living, resurrected Savior.
This devotional meets us in our own distress. Job loss, frightening diagnoses, family turmoil, lingering fear—so often we weep because we can’t see the risen Jesus at work in the midst of the trouble. Christ’s question still presses us toward clarity: Who are you looking for—and what are you assuming about God’s power right now? When you recognize that Jesus is alive and present, despair gives way to hope, and temporary sorrow is reshaped by eternal confidence.
Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that my tears are unnecessary. Though this life will have sorrow, all my trials pale in comparison to the glory that awaits me in You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him’” (John 20:15).
Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Our Tears and the Resurrection of Jesus: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOW
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MY Devotional: Daily Biblical Encouragement & Prayer from Leading The Way — The Hope That Dries All Tears. Machine-transcribed; use the interactive transcript above to jump the player to any line.
0:00This is Michael Yusuf, and you're listening to today's My Devotional From Leading the Way. Uncompromising Truth for Everyday Faith. The Fourth of April 2026. The Hope that Drives All Tears. Jesus had delivered Mary Magdalene from seven demons that had tormented her. He rescued her from the crushing weight of shame that sin had piled upon her, so she followed him. Mary was devoted to Jesus, staying by his side, even while he was tortured, beaten, and nailed to a Roman cross. Though most of the disciples fled in fear, Mary stood by her Lord in his darkest hour, faithful, steadfast, and unashamed. As likely she was there when Jesus' body was taken down, she may also have been there
1:00when Joseph and Nicodemus prepared the body for burial and placed it in the garden tomb. Mary had no doubt that Jesus had died. So when she saw that the body was missing, she could only conclude that it had been stolen. Standing there, Mary wept, probably for quite some time, because she was asked twice why she was crying, once by the angels who met her in the tomb and once by Jesus himself, who asked her, woman, why are you crying? It wasn't that Jesus couldn't understand why she would be crying. Jesus was never one to hide his own emotions, and he never told others to suppress theirs. Rather with his question, Jesus was saying to Mary, your tears are unnecessary. How many times do we grieve and fret over our circumstances, whether it's the loss of a job, a scary diagnosis, or some other earthly and therefore temporary trouble?
2:02We weep and worry because we fail to see the resurrected Jesus in the midst of our troubles, but he is alive and with us. So he asks us in our difficult circumstances, why are you crying? He wants to clarify our thinking, like he did for Mary. Jesus pressed Mary in John chapter 20 verse 15, who is it you are looking for? Well, she was looking for a dead body, but God had given her a resurrected, powerful living savior. She was looking for lifeless remains, but God had given her the assurance of her own resurrection. She was looking for a life of sorrow, but God had given her eternal hope. Pray with me. Precious Lord, help me to remember that my tears are unnecessary. Though this life will have sorrow, all my trials pale in comparison to the glory that awaits me in you. I pray in the name of Jesus, amen.
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