Reinforcements

First of all...thank you to all who have sent an email or phoned to just send their thoughts and prayers my way - you are all my rocks and ledges (I'll explain in a bit).

I have been a part of multiple studies lately about building each other up as part of the body of Christ - encouraging each other, being there in times of trouble and victory, praying for one another - all the "one anothers." And regardless of how many people have been loving me lately (which means a lot to me), it really hasn't been as healing as you might think. I've been in a deeper pit than I thought, or cared to admit. I usually just brush it off - do things to get motivated to just do more work to stay productive and think/analyze less. That's not worked - especially since I've been physically sick for a couple months now. I didn't know how to fix this...when I get to that point, the wisest thing for me to do is retreat away from people - so I'm not affecting someone else negatively. But to do that just has a negative affect on those who are trying to love me through all this. I'm not much help to myself.

Last week I purchased Beth Moore's book, "Get Out of That Pit." I thought to myself, 'it couldn't HURT to check it out.' If you've never read Beth Moore - she's funny and relateable - and her style is not the most professional writing style, but that's what makes it readable for me right now. It's as if she's just across the table with a cup of coffee. In this book, she's shared her "pit" experiences, getting in them and getting out. Basically how to embrace God's grace and live free out of the pit. She uses Psalm 40:1-3 as the main theme. She describes different pits listed throughout the Bible and right off-the-bat describes how you feel in the pit. Isaiah 42:22 describes it as being trapped in a pit. TRAPPED! That's exactly how I've been feeling about some things - totally trapped with no way out. She explains that "to the ancient Hebrew, a pit was a literal or figurative reference to the grave - to its threat - or to an anbyss so deep the dweller within it felt like the living dead...a pit is an early grave that Satan digs for you in hopes he can bury you alive." That's EXACTLY where I've been. I may not have cancer, and my house didn't burn down, and I'm not trying to quit an abusive habit, but my problems are still my problems. And I've felt like the living dead, and looked like it too.

Moore goes on to describe three ways to get into a pit - you get thrown in, you slip in, or you willingly jump in. We've all had our share of those different pits - but the most frustrating can be the first - you get thrown in. Like Joseph did by his brothers (read the story here). You have no control and yet you are affected. How do you deal with that? I've had a lot of those pits this year, and I haven't been dealing well. I have to forgive and forgive and forgive -- those who have no idea nor care that I have issues...those who have died without giving me closure...those who have willingly chose to leave my life in a hurtful way...I HAVE to forgive. Joseph did (read here & here). "Forgive them for they know not what they do," and you know who said that.

The other thing to remember is something else that Moore states in her book, "Christ got down next to us in the grave, stayed the better part of three days, and then got up...so we'd have permission to get up too. And start living life."

That's all well and good; however, there's still a process to go through. In our small group study I learned it's called pruning. And as much as I love the support - my "rocks" who lift me up (the people who support, encourage and love me), can only be ledges in my pit. Only Jesus can be my deliverer. I have to get down-and-dirty with Jesus -- completely open up my grave to him because only He can set me free. But in this process, you are my ledges that hold me that keep me from falling into an even deeper pit - and give me a way to cling to the sides, helps me reach the top.

I've also been reading straight from the Bible - going through John to gain some insight on Jesus' attitude -- not his heart -- but how he reacted, his attitude on things. BECAUSE..."Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). I might have a whole study on this!

The other version I'm reading is my daily chronological Bible. Granted, I'm like in June, but at least I'm there! Last night I read about Asa, a King of Judah (a couple of kings after Solomon in the Old Testament). The section (2 Chronicles 15:1-7) has the statement through the prophet Azariah, "The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you...But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." Asa was turning the nation around - tearing down false idols and turning the country back to God. This was a message to him to hang in there...there are a LOT of those messages in the Bible.

What's YOUR favorite "hang-in-there" verse?