THEN I cried out . . .

The theme this week from God is Enough continues with the idea that if I fully realize the purposes of God concerning trials, I would be far more quick to say, “Thy will be done” and think twice before I tried to “fix” situations that trouble me.

Psalm 107 highlights the history of God’s people in a survey of their sin and troubles. Each time, the results are the same. Skimming through this song of praise, I picked out these portions.

“They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. THEN (caps mine) they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. . . .”

“Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons—because they rebelled against the words of God, and despised the counsel of the Most High, therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. THEN they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. . . .”

“Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. They soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. THEN they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. . . .”

“They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. THEN they cry out to the Lord in their trouble. . . .”

In my own life, I refused to call on God until the wheels fell off everything that I tried to do. I stubbornly resisted Him and tried to run my own life, but when nothing worked, I wanted God to help me.

Right now, I’m not experiencing trials like that, but I know that my sin nature continually tries to rule. I also see this in those around me. Friends and family need to know the love and power of God in their lives, but they reject Him and try to do things their own way. As I watch their distress, I want to do something to ease their journey. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about them and praying for them, asking God what I can do to help them.

This morning I asked God what He wants me to do regarding one person who is in terrible distress. As I read from God is Enough and read this Psalm, I sensed Him telling me that I need to better understand why He is allowing this distress; it is so this person will cry out to Him. Essentially, He is saying you stay out of it.

I wonder how often I’ve interfered with God’s plans? It is exceedingly difficult to watch others wandering, hungry for answers, in darkness, in affliction, hating life, reeling to and fro in trouble and seemingly at their wits end. I have been there myself and it is not fun.

I want to help them, yet these verses and the end of the Psalm caution me to make sure I know God is motivating me. He says, “When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, affliction and sorrow . . . wander in the wilderness where there is no way. . . .” THEN they turn to God.

The last verse tells me that God is not being mean, and that these distresses have a purpose. It says, “Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.”

Oh, this is difficult. Watching is difficult. Realizing that God’s lovingkindness isn’t always a feel-good thing is difficult. On top of all that, this Psalm also exhorts me over and over to “give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.” He is saying that I must thank Him for these “wonderful works” — even before I see the THEN part, even before the people I love cave in to His mercy.

For me, this is a trial also, different from theirs, but one that makes me cry out to the Lord too. I want His enduring mercy to guide them. I want them to call out to Him, and to see His purpose fulfilled in their lives. I want them to see His goodness and give thanks. Yet Psalm 107:42 says, “The righteous see it and rejoice . . .” and God exhorts me to “observe these things” and “understand” and then do myself what I want others to do.