Empty Cries

We all cry out to God at times in our life. I am not referring to our regular prayers right now. I am speaking about times we call to God in desperation, because we think we are going to perish from pain or suffering of some kind. When we cry out like that, we want God to listen to us. (Job 35:13) However, the Almighty does not always regard those cries to Him. Elihu, was the younger of Job's friends. He made this point because he thought Job's cry to God was empty. He was wrong like the other friends. Job had a valid cry to God, and we need to make sure that we will be heard by God when we cry out to Him, too.

God does not hear the cries of unbelievers, unless they are crying out in desperation  to express their repentance from sin and their trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yes, God could regard their cries for other things on certain occasions, but usually He doesn't because it would not make sense to answer someone who says you do not exist, or they will not believe in you. Also, we, as believers, can have our cries unheard if the we do not ask in faith, desiring God's will and believing He can do what we ask. God responds to faith, even if it is just a little faith. Other times, God doesn't listen to our pleas for help, because we are selfishly asking for our will to be done, not God's will. After all, His will is what is best, so we should want that, not our will. Finally, God does not hear cries that are not really sincerely coming from our heart. We can be asking, just because we are trying everything we can think of. God knows if He is just one option to us and not the Only One who can really give us the solution we need to end our pain and suffering. Job's cry was not empty, and I pray ours will not be either.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Job 36-38.