The Power of a Good Cry

There are times in life when things can seem overwhelming.  When it seems like we have no where to turn, no one to help, nothing that could take care of the problems we face.  When we get to a place like this, it seems that crying is all there is left to do.  While I do not often find myself in tears, I can remember occasions when tears were where I found myself, and also where I found the answer.

David did, too.  King David, that is.  For such a successful king, he certainly had his share of enemies.  As a boy he faced Goliath, as a young man he ran from King Saul, through his adult life the Philistines were never really counted as his friends, and later in his rule even his son Absolom could be considered an enemy.

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

 And what did David do?  He cried.  Today, I want to encourage you, when a cry is all there is left, don't waste the cry - make it count like David did!  What makes a cry count?  Well, we need to cry to the right person.  Crying to ourselves will not solve the problem, we're crying because we cannot fix the problem.  We need to cry out to the right person.  A person who can help, a person who can hear, and a person who wants to help.  The only one worth crying out to is God.

In another Psalm, David says "Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing, Lord."  In this Psalm, David's cry does something just as remarkable.  His cry turned trouble into blessing (the change from the beginning to the end), and turned helplessness ('there is no help for him in God') into hopefulness (thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone').  It changed David's perspective from listening to man ('Many there be which say'), to trusting in God's Word.  There are many more goodies in this Psalm, but I hope you get the point.  When you find yourself in the need of a good cry, don't waste your tears where they cannot profit - make them count.  Keep looking up!