One of the toughest things to do can be to admit when we’re wrong.  It’s easier on the prideful soul to deflect blame or to rationalize bad decision making.  What God’s people in Joel’s day had before them was the possibility of utter ruin brought on by bad choices to reject God’s ways.  Great hardship that crippled their economy and home life had just swept through, and now an opposing army seeing them as easy pickings were marshaling on their borders.  God sent out the prophet Joel to declare that what they needed now was not a military response or international treaty with their attackers.  What they needed was repentance. 

At first glance that answer might seem to be missing the mark, but what got them into this situation was not an external problem—it was an internal problem.  The only thing that would bring about the rescue and salvation God’s people were looking for was a return to Him in honest repentance.  No more faking it to get along and kick the can down the road.  A tearing of the heart over what brought on the breakdown was the only doorway to real renewal for God’s people.