In the Jesus Calling devotional today it talked about being on guard against the pit of self-pity. I believe though that we should be on guard against the pit in general.
As someone who is in the process of having Jesus pull me up & out of the pit... I can tell you... the edges of the pit DO crumble easily & once you are on the way down... it's SO very hard to get back out!
I was headed toward the pit last summer without even realizing it until the edges of the pit began to crumble around me & down I slid.. hard & fast. Yes, self-pity had some to do with it but there was more... I had let down my guard... I had stopped holding up the Shield of Faith... I had taken off the breastplate of righteousness & I had put down the Sword of the Spirit. I had become so consumed with school & studying for boards that I lost sight of the most important part of my life... my relationship with God. I began to grumble & complain about not passing boards, not having a PTA job & feeling like God had abandoned me in solitary confinement... I definitely had lost my focus on the One thing that mattered most... HIM.
I'm SO thankful that God, in His wonderful mercy reached His hand down & asked if I was ready to get out of the pit... I'm SO thankful that even though there have been times I've started to lose my grip... He has held on even tighter... and hasn't let go of me yet! I'm SO thankful that He still loves me in spite of my mistakes & that He reminds me daily of His Love & faithfulness.
I loved the tips provided in this devotional on protecting yourself from the pit...
1) Occupy yourself with praising & thanking Him
2) Live CLOSE to Him because the closer you are to Him... the more distance there is between you & the pit
3) Live in the Light of His Presence by fixing your eyes on Him & RUN towards Him... don't take your eyes off of Him!! As you focus your eyes on HIM... you won't stumble & fall.
These are good words... & from someone on the way out of the pit... there is Truth in these words.
Oh Lord... that I might continually keep my eyes focused on YOU from this day forward! Thank You SO much for continuing to Love me in spite of my foolish heart... Thank You for Your mercy & grace & goodness towards me... And thank You... for not letting go.
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