"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.." - Psalm 30:11 (NIV).
Here is a quagmire. You have this burden you take to the Lord persistently. There you pour out all your heart, as you leap out anxious cries. At what point do you stop crying and start praising God?
Once there was a barren woman called Hannah in no less than grim circumstances. We know, "Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons?” (I Samuel 1:7-8). Then one day something happened. Eli, the priest took note of her sad situation, heard her prayer and then said, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him" (vv 17).
Nodding to the priest, "She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast" (vv 18). From that point on there is no record of Hannah weeping anymore.
Hannah took the word from the Lord for granted and her outlook completely changed. One chapter of weeping had passed to one of praise. And that was a key to her eventual success. For, "in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him" (vv 20).
Your situation could be no more different. You have carried this burden in you heart that has long made you restless, filled with heartaches. Day and night you weep for that cherished answer. Then one day in your deep of hearts you hear the Lord say, "Go in peace, your request has been answered!" Would you weep anymore!
The time for praise has come. Stop weeping and start praising. For the Lord has answered your prayers!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I know my sorrows are no more, for you have heard my requests and answered me, so I now rise in praise of you, this I pray in Jesus's name.
