You have a need in your life right now. There’s something you can’t fix, something you can’t overcome, something can’t change. But it hasn’t been changing, has it? You’ve been waiting, but all that waiting has things left the same, and in some ways even worse. What do you do with that? Really, what do you do when there’s nothing more you can do?

This is not where you pretend to be okay. This is not where you make peace with the problem and accept defeat. This is not where you settle, assuming this is all there is for you. My friend, this is NOT where you quit.

This is where you get DESPERATE. Desperate for the one who can fix this. Desperate for the one who promised to already overcome this. Desperate for the one who can change the impossible.

But you’ve been trying to avoid desperation thinking that is a broken weakness. Let me tell you something, desperation is a deep faith that moves Jesus. It’s time to get desperate!

Let’s read a story in our bible about desperation. There are many to choose from because desperation is not a rare place to find yourself in. I’m there … aren’t you?

Luke 18: 35-43: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.”
Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God too.

This is a picture of desperation. This blind man knew if Jesus doesn’t do this for me, I will never change. He would not be silenced. He would not be shamed and hushed.

Now, notice what he says. He says, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” Mercy is acknowledging you don’t deserve it.

If you’ve been walking around entitled thinking Jesus owes you something, you’re missing the power of his mercy. We could never be good enough to deserve Jesus. There’s nothing we could ever do that would qualify us for forgiveness and redemption. There’s no possible way we could get ourselves into Heaven. Mercy is required here. Mercy, you don’t deserve. Mercy, you can’t earn.

I heard the recording of an interview with a homeless man living on the streets. They asked him, “What do you think about God.” The man answered, “Why me?”

But, not for the reasons I’ve ever asked “Why me?” I must admit, my ‘why me’ moments were pitiful and entitled. But this man says, “Why me, God? Why did you ever choose me? You’ve chosen ME for eternity? I get the mansion in heaven? I get to walk on those streets of gold? Me?!!!! For real? Wow!!!!!!! I’m the luckiest man in the world!”

That is a child of God who understands mercy!

Now think about it, you are chosen by God as well. He wants to give you a place in paradise for all eternity with him, and it’s not because of anything you have done or could ever do. It’s all because of his mercy. Stop for a moment and ask “Why me” with this perspective today. You are a recipient of eternal mercy that never runs out!

Back to our scripture, notice when this blind man calls out for mercy, Jesus stops and asks for the man to brought to him. Then, when he is near, he asks him this one powerful question, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The man says, “Lord, I want to see!” And Jesus says, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.”

Desperation made this man call out for Jesus. And Jesus wants to know, what are you really desperate for?

WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DESPERATE FOR?

Have you ever been desperate for water? I was on a desert hike one time where we got lost and ran out of water. I’ve never felt a thirst like that. My mouth was so dry I would drink a puddle from a parking lot. All I could think about was water. I would have accepted water from any person and any source. I felt I couldn’t go on without water. That’s what desperate feels like.

And we avoid that. We try everything to keep from being desperate. We pretend. We self-soothe. We medicate. We ignore. But, my sister, desperation is by design of your Creator. You are created to desperately need him. Nothing else and no one else will do.

If you are desperate, good. The truth is, we all are really desperate, it’s just some of us are still stuck in our self-sufficiency era thinking we don’t need help. That will come crashing down. And when it does, Jesus is still asking you, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Just as you would crave something essential for survival, we must crave God in our lives. We must seek him with a sense of urgency and a willingness to do whatever it takes to find him.

This is what we see in the blind man. In desperation, he will willing to do whatever it takes to get Jesus’ attention. He didn’t care how many people told him to be quiet. He didn’t care what others thought of him. He didn’t care how this made him look or what was said. He was desperate for Jesus. And Jesus responds asking, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The man answers in desperation with nothing but the absolute truth … I want to see!

Of course Jesus already knew what he needed. There was no doubt this man wanted his sight. So, why did Jesus insist that he ask anyway? He’s making the roles clear here. Our role is to ask in faith. His role is to respond to our faith with his power.

James 4:2, “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure.”

What are you desperate for? Are you humbly asking God for it in faith? Not because you deserve it. Not because you’ve earned it. But because you desperately desire to see God’s power over this situation.

Maybe you stopped asking because you feel like he’s never heard you before. Maybe you stopped asking because you asked once and that should be enough. Desperation cannot be silenced. Desperation will not give up. Desperation is like a deep thirst lost on a desert hike with me. Quitting is not an option.

Maybe you’re not asking because you’ve made peace with this dysfunction and you have settled for less than God’s best. And here Jesus is with his overflowing grace and mercy saying, “My girl, what do you really want?”

I desperately want healing and restoration. I desperately want my family unified under God. I desperately want this colossal mess to be fixed, and I fully recognize I can’t do that, only God can. I’m desperate for his help. Desperate for his touch. Desperate for his guidance. Desperate for his intervention.

I don’t have to pretend to be okay here. I will continually choose joy, but my desperation remains. When Jesus asks, my answer is clear. I need him desperately! This girl cannot do it on her own. I don’t have it all figured out. I cannot fix this.

Are you asking God for what you want? As you continually ask, he will align your heart with his. That’s why you keep praying. He heard you the first time. But every time you ask, you surrender more and more of your will for his will. Then, when your motives are right and his divine timing is aligned, HE MOVES.

And when he moves, everything can change in an instant.

This blind man’s name was Bartimeaus. We don’t know how long he had been blind and we don’t know what caused his blindness. But we know know he had no other option but to be a beggar. He could not work and earn money. He spent his days begging on the street. He didn’t think God owed him anything, that is why he desperately cried out for mercy.

When Bartimeaus asked in faith, the power of Jesus did the impossible for him, and it happened INSTANTLY. “Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God.”

I have no idea how Jesus could instantly fix the problems I’m facing, but I know he can. I’m desperate for him to do what only he can do. I will urgently call out in desperation, stopping at nothing while I seek him. I will not pretend to be okay with anything short of his divine intervention. I’m humbled to say, I desperately need you Jesus.

Life has a way of humbling you. A way of showing you that you can’t do this on your own. You can’t fix this. You can’t change this. You can’t overcome this. But, JESUS CAN. Will you humbly ask him for what you want and need?

There’s a brand new song that was just released called “Desperate” by Jamie Macdonald. Let this be your heartfelt cry of desperation for Jesus. He wants you to tell him what you want him to do for you. Sing out these words to your Creator, your Redeemer, your Healer, your Provider, your Way Maker, your Restorer, your Savior.

Oh God, I’m desperate
Down on my knees
Send help from heaven
Cause that’s what I need
Redeem this wreckage
Restore my peace
I’m not asking, I’m begging
Lord, come through for me
I need heaven and I’m
Desperate
Desperate

Prayed all the prayers I can pray but
I wont’s stop knowing ’till you open the door
You can move a mountain
You can calm a storm
I know you can cause I’ve seen it before

And you’re my only hope
I need a miracle
And if I ever needed you, it’s right now

I’m a desperate girl in need of Savior, Redeemer and Restorer. I can’t do this on my own. My cries to my Jesus will not be hushed. Lord, have mercy.

He hears you, my sister. This desperation for him will be met with an undeniable power. Let him work on your heart. Let him restore your peace. Let him revive your joy. And stay desperate for him.

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