Cry it Out

As a new mother, we run when our babies cry.  We bring a bottle, pacifier or favorite toy to help soothe them to comfort.  The bedtime routine includes a rocker, music, bottle and/or patting their little tush!

Okay, enough of this!  Now comes the most difficult time; letting them cry it out.  Our babies come to a point when they need to learn self-soothing techniques.  Sitting outside the room, listening to the cries, brings tears to any mother's eyes.  We want to scoop them up and just make it all better.  Would that help the matter in any way?  No, we would just start from scratch again the next night.  It gets easier if we just hang on a few nights.  Then, the cries last for only a few minutes and the baby knows how to return to sleeping.

Okay, we conquered that one, now on to taking away the bottle and/or pacifier.  The same scenario mentioned above occurs.  After a few nights and naps without this vice, the baby finds a way to soothe themselves to sleep.

"But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.  Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!” (Judges 10:13-14) 

Often we returned to infancy when our flesh feels uncomfortable.  We cry out for someone to come to our rescue, scoop us up and make everything better.  Vices become a way to erase our pain, numb out and sleep it away.  Guess what?  These methods do not work.  We only start from scratch when faced with the next, or same, struggle.  As the flesh becomes upset, the circle of escape begins again. 

Unlike the baby finding ways to self-soothe, we cannot use this method when facing trials of this life.  We must reach to our Creator, our Healer, Great Counselor and find God-soothing methods for peace.  He is the only way to reach true, lasting joy. 

"As for me, I call to God,
   and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon
   I cry out in distress,
   and he hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed
   from the battle waged against me,
   even though many oppose me." (Psalm 55:16-18)

He will scoop you up, hold you in His arms, heal the hurts, catch each tear and place you back on your feet to walk in peace with Him.  Trials and tribulations will occur in life, but lean on Him to see you through each one.  When we fail to rely on Him, damage occurs to our hearts; we run in circles and remain stuck in situations.  As we run to His Truths, the pain lasts only a short while. 

I experienced this very situation yesterday.  I headed down my road of crying out in self-pity as I have in the past.  A trigger sent me running to that hideous path.  I took a few steps and said, "No way, Satan, I will not feed into your lies to send me down there."  I cried out to God, asking Him to consume me with Truth and combat the lies pouring in to my mind.  He did!  He picked me up and carried me back to His path.  This took much less time than it ever had in the past!  Praise God. 

Not only do we cry out to be rescued, we must cry out to praise our God.  He is amazing, not only for all He does for us, but also for just being the God He is.  He loves us just as we are, no performance or works required.  He is AMAZING!

God, thank you for today.  Thank You for being my Father.  Thank You for breathing life into me.  I know You created me for a reason, may I fulfill Your plans each day, with each step.  Should my feet stumble, reveal to me quickly through Your Truth how to catch myself and remained balanced.  I love You.

Keep praying harder than the devil can work.

Sheree Craig