Crying Out To The Lord

"But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer. . ." (Judge 3:8-9). I often receive requests to help someone whose life is in a difficult place. After a few questions I am able to discern if the Lord has called me to get involved. Sometimes the Lord doesn't want me to get involved. Many times I find this person has not experienced enough pain to want to do anything about their situation. Until they are really ready to cry out to the Lord for a solution to their situation, they will simply talk about desiring change but never take the necessary steps needed for change." If you invest time into someone who has not yet come to the place of wanting a spiritual solution to their problem, you will become emotionally exhausted. The apostle Paul understood this principle when he actually turned such people over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh (I Cor. 5:5). It has been told that a young student came to Plato and asked to learn wisdom. As the story goes Plato took him into a river and then held his head under water for a couple of minutes. The young man thrashed about wildly and finally was allowed to breath again. When the young man caught his breath Plato said "When you desire wisdom as much as you wanted air you will find it." The recognition of desperation changes a man. The greatest need in our world today is the recognition of need. The people of Israel were finally in enough pain to cry out to God for relief from their oppression. Like so many times throughout the scriptures, God answered by raising up a deliverer. "But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died (Judg 3:8-11)." Are you in a difficult place in your life? Are you only talking about changing or are you really ready to cry out to the Lord for a solution? Start now the process of letting the Lord to change your situation for the better, and this begins with crying out to the Lord.