March 22, 2016
The Power of the Pit, Part 2
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire (Psalm 40:1-2, NIV).
Friend to Friend
We have several choices about how to deal with the pain and darkness in life. We can become bitter and blame God or someone else for the pain, or we can give up and wallow in the mire and mud of that slimy pit.
At one point in my life, I simply plastered a smile on my face, gritted my teeth, and denied that the pit even existed. Not a good choice.
I eventually learned that the choice I should make when it comes to dealing with depression or any other pit life throws my way is to trust God, knowing He will deliver me.
Trusting God means understanding that He may deliver me from the pit or He may deliver me in it. I just had to come to the place of being willing to accept His plan for deliverance – not mine. Honestly, I’m still working on that one.
In yesterday’s devotion, I shared some of the lessons I have learned through my experience with the pit of depression. No matter what kind of pit you are facing, God is with you, and the same truths that brought me out of that pit of darkness will deliver you. Are you ready for a few more?
You can learn to stay out of the pit.Nothingwill change … if nothing changes in your life.Hedges of protection must be planted around the pit of depression. Priorities must be set. Balance must be kept. Habits must be cultivated. Accountability must be pursued. Lessons must be learned. These hedges must be constantly tended to provide constant protection from that pit. In other words, be alert and constantly be on guard against anything that will lead you back into the darkness.
God will use your pit. From the depths of every pit comes a message of hope … a message of power … a message of grace. It is a message for us to share. God doesn’t want us to simply endure the pits of life. People without Christ can muster up enough courage - enough human strength to get through a trial. God has a better plan. He does not want us to just survive the pain. He wants us to rise above it - to harness and even embrace that pain and use it for our good and His glory.
Life is sweeter on the other side of the pit.We cannot really know just how bright the light is until we have spent time in the darkness. Every day is filled with the discovery of fresh hope and new joy. Relationships grow deeper and fuller. Peace settles around you like an old familiar friend. The intimate and faithful presence of a loving Father becomes the reality you once only dreamed of knowing.
A beekeeper once told author and pastor F.B. Meyer how some of the young bees are nurtured to ensure their healthy development. The queen lays each egg in a six-sided cell, which is filled with enough pollen and honey to nourish the egg until it reaches a certain stage of maturity. The top is then sealed with a capsule of wax.
When the food is gone, it is time for the tiny creature to be released. The wax is so hard to penetrate that the bee can make only a very narrow opening. It is so narrow that in the agony of exit, the bee rubs off the membrane that encases its wings. When it finally does emerge, it is able to fly.
The man telling the story said that one time a moth got into the hive and devoured the wax capsules. As a result the young bees crawled out without any effort or trouble. But they could not fly.
Remember, it is through the struggle of the trial - the journey out of the pit that the very best part of us takes flight. One day soon, you will look around to see that you are coming out of the dark.
Let’s Pray
Father, I cannot deal with the darkness on my own. I admit my human frailty. I am desperate without You. Right now, I choose to trust You and rest in Your sufficiency. Make me more like Jesus and teach me the truths You have for me in this pit.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Pits can bring life to a screeching halt, demanding that we change our perspective of living and examine our priorities in light of that new perspective.
Read 1 Peter 1:6. Compare your perspective to the one described in this verse.
Read 2 Corinthians 12:10. Make a list of your weaknesses and struggles. Thank God for each one. Celebrate the power of God's grace in your life.
More from the Girlfriends
If you or someone you love struggles with depression, Mary’s book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, offers practical steps you can take to experience God’s deliverance from that pit and live a life of victory.
Be sure to check out the FREEBIES on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
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