It's Okay to Cry

Part 2

"Its Ok To Cry" - 12-13-2010 Barrett Nugent

Its okay to cry!.......... Its okay to cry!......... It really is,

As long as we cry to the Lord.

I know from experience and from reading the Word that at times it can be hard to believe;

it can be hard to see that God loves you; it can be hard to trust in the truth that God, is still and always will be there by your side. We can't see him; at times we feel him and can hear him, but then there are times where it seems like we are alone. But we are never alone!

Psalm 139:7-10

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol (Hell), you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right shall hold me.”

Where are you? Where have you been? Where are you going?

God is with you! GOD IS WITH YOU!! Not was, IS!

Look at the verses, they are statements with apostrophes not question marks or hopes. It is God's covenant to never leave or forsake his children.

Please take a moment to be still and consider this.

Everywhere you have been, are, and will go, God is with you!

The Psalm says if you go to heaven, He is there. If you make your bed in HELL, He is there!

If you run away to the “utter most parts of the sea” where no man is or has been, “Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me!”

Whether you have been running from God in a state of rebellion, taken a turn that you thought was God's will and now are unsure, or are seeking God and just can't feel him and feel as if you are alone and He isn't listening.

Wherever you are, God is there! Walking by your side and carrying you when you don't have the strength to walk.

Its the power of His spirit that will God willing allow these words to reach in and affect your heart.

So I ask you to take a few minutes to be still and ask God to move in your heart and change you.

Sit down, lay down, take a walk to somewhere secluded, and be still.

Talk with the Lord as if you were talking to your best friend, whether you are having a good day or bad day. Thats what friends are there for right? To be there for you?

God is there for you! He is with you all the time. He wants to talk with you, He wants you to tell him about your joys, He wants you to tell Him of your fears, the things that make you want to worry.

He wants you to cast your burden on Him and allow Him to carry you.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Are you tired? Are you weary and run down? Do you just need a break from the daily grind of life?

Go to the Lord! He will give you rest.

God knows the temptations and fears we face every day, He knows there is an enemy of our souls that “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”.

Jesus himself was tempted and tried.

Matthew 26:36-44

“Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little further he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is week.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.”

Sometimes we have to pray the same things over and over, it doesn't make them any more or less true.

God still calls us to bring our petitions to the cross and submit them to the Lord.

What it does confirm is that all is done by the power of God the Father and by His will.

Another aspect to consider is the desperate manner in which we see God's children bringing their petitions to the Lord. The verse above says Jesus “fell on his face and prayed”.

Jonah 2 - recounts Jonah's cry for help from the belly of the whale.

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying,

I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

For you cast me in the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.

Then I said, 'I am driven away from your sight; Yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.'

The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.

When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation belongs to the LORD!

And the LORD spoke the the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.”

Each of these examples are rather desperate circumstances, Jesus is within hours of being tortured and being crucified for sins he did not commit, Jonah is inside a fish. Not knowing why he is even still alive, yet knowing that his only hope is the LORD God.

And what did he do? He called out to the LORD, “from the belly of Sheol I cried”.

Both situations of desperation; both situations God was faithful to give grace and provide a way.

What situation are you in right now? Do you believe God can provide the grace to make it through?

Do you believe God intends and wants to give grace? Do you believe God is working everything out for your better good?

He is! Even if you can't see it now, He is!

Jesus Christ was tempted in every way known to man, yet did not sin. Hebrews 4:14-16

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect had been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

“With confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need”

Because of what Christ has done we can draw near with confidence, without fear. Knowing“That we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Notice the word “receive”, we are given something. The verse does not say this is your best shot, or maybe this will work. Try real hard and hope for the best.

Because of what Christ has done, a work completely out of your control and something you can't add anything to, we can draw near. Its a gift! Its Mercy!

Mercy is defined as:

“Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone who is it within one's power to punish or harm.

Yes it is within God's power to punish us for our sin, but because of Christ, God shows us grace.

Grace:

“The free and unmerited favor of God”

The verse says to draw near with confidence that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

How often do we need help? Daily! For some like myself, its every minute.

So where are you? What season are you in? Where do you find yourself right now?

Making it through but hoping things get better? Really tired and wearisome? About to give up all hope and end life?

Wherever you feel like you are, in God's eyes you are in the same place as everyone else.

A sinner who needs His forgiveness and love.

And He wants to give it to you! More than anything God the Father wants you to call to Him and tell him “I can't do it on my own Lord! I don't want to do it on my own! Help me!”

And He will!

I believe David says it best in Psalm 30:1-5

“I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.

O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

So cry! Cry to the Lord, don't let the lie that crying for help is only for those who are weak and insecure.

Rather it is for those who are secure in the truth that they are weak on their own, but have a heavenly Father who is mighty to save who will hear His children's cries for help and come to their aid.