THEN, they cried out.

Judges 6:6 (NLT) So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.

The Israelites suffered after the Midianites took over their land, taking their livestock and crops. The Israelites were in dire straits. They had been ignoring God, forgetting to worship Him. Verse 1 says: The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years.

It wasn't until things got very, very bad, and people were starving, that they finally cried out to God for help. Are we any different?

As things are going our way, or as long as we think we can handle the situation, we ignore God. This is doing evil in God's sight. We don't praise Him for who He is. We don't thank Him for the innumerable gifts and mercies and grace poured out on us. We complain about a tough situation that could be so much worse. We are ungrateful, selfish, cry babies. - Ok maybe just I am but I doubt I am the only one.

We wait until things are at a breaking point before we acknowledge that we can't handle it ourselves, THEN we cry out to God. After all else fails, THEN we cry out. After God helps us through the situation, we all too soon go back to our own vices. I wish I could break the cycle!

Father God, You are amazing and able to do so much more than I can even imagine to ask. You are able to fix problems that I don't even know exist and You do fix them! Thank you so much for Your grace and mercy. Please forgive my selfishness and tendency to "handle" it on my own. Amen.

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