Though I can be a bit of a showman I tend to not be very emotional unless my threshold has been pressed. I try to be stable and reliable emotionally because that is what is needed more than an emotional leader (at least that is what I believe).
I was reading in Psalm 107 several times I see that they cried out to God and he saved them from their distress. The children of Israel cried out while in slavery and He heard them. A couple of blind guys wanted their vision and they cried out; when they were told to be more socially acceptable they cried out all the louder. Then strangely enough Jesus asked them them to clarify what they needed.
What if they had not cried out?
What is the point of crying out?
Is being loud or emotional or pressed to your limit the point?
Maybe it's about bringing us to a place of focus.
Maybe this is about expanding us. Causing empathy for others. Leading us down paths that make us capable of helping others.
We regularly ask for a parking space, help with finding a place to get coffee, the right outfit to wear tonight etc. We never cry out for these things in a highly charged emotional state!
There is a time and a purpose to cry out to God. We are expanded in one direction or another. We are brought to our wits end (PS 107:27) not because of bad decisions but because we followed the opportunities God gave us. We find ourselves helpless and living in prisons (PS 107:10) some of which we made ourselves. We find ourselves losing to depression (PS 107:17) because of our own decisions, or those of others. We find ourselves suffering from illness and without a worldly remedy (PS 107:19).
The result is: Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind (PS 107:8,15,21,31). It's not that He needs the praise. It's us that needs to do the praising and the recognizing.
The path to a higher level has requirements. Read this entire Psalm and reflect on His goodness.
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