O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off. Psalm 38:9-11 ESV

Many years ago I was told a story about a missionary from Trinidad who was visiting in the United States. Unfortunately, while visiting a big city, her purse was snatched. She just stood in these foreign surroundings and yelled out, “Help me, Jesus”.  What makes this profound to me is that her first reaction was to call on Jesus. She didn’t ask a stranger on the street for help or call the police. Jesus was her first thought in time of trouble.

In Psalm 38 David finds himself troubled, in pain, guilty and suffering. He cries out to Jesus, with ALL honesty, he cries out to Jesus.  I don’t know if this was David’s initial response or not, but seeking Jesus first is the response I want to have.

Timothy Keller writes, “Suffering often comes in such overwhelmingly complex compounds that the only solution is to simply call out to God himself to forgive, protect and heal.”  All of us have needs of all sorts but the solution is Jesus. Are you and I crying out to Him as our only solution?

The devotion I read by Timothy Keller ends with the following prayer:
“Lord, sometimes there’s nothing to do but to cry out to you. I can feel so overwhelmed by the complexity of my troubles. Some are my fault, some are not – I feel angry and guilty and overwhelmed by it all. I confess my sin and my helplessness. Help me! Amen.”

Today may Jesus be the only solution you and I seek.

Blessings, Kathy

Kathy Withers is on staff at America’s Keswick and serves as Director of Partner Care. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 30 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and teaches a Bible Study for women. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.