It's The Pits !

I'm reading Beth Moore's book "Get Out Of That Pit".  Although I'm only a few pages into it, I have to admit its got me thinking.  I've never thought of myself as living in a pit.  I'm usually a "get this party started" kind of girl.  What caught my attention?  Beth says that sometimes we have lived in the pit for so long, we don't even know we're there.  Hmmmm!

Even though we each have some kind of pit, none of them look the same.  We have all been there, lived there, trying to get out of there or don't know we're there. I ask myself then, Where am I?  Where are you?

According to Beth Moore, you know your in a pit when...you feel stuck.  Isaiah 42:22 says that a pit is a place where you feel trapped.  You tend to feel your only options are to kick and scream  your way out or decide you made your bed, now you have to lie in it.  Psalm 40 adds that a pit is slimy, muddy and mirky.  Together these words say one thing....you cannot get yourself out.  The danger of a pit is that you begin to sink inch by inch.  In Jeremiah 38:6  He describes his pit as a place of sinking down.

As I got to looking to see if I have a pit,  I've discovered I have a pit with three different levels.  Somedays because of circumstances I go to the basement of my pit, its really dark and scary, it has its own WORRY ROOM.  Thats what I do there, I worry, I ask myself "what if", I can only see the negative.

The main level of my pit is not quite so scary, but its the place of discontentment, its where I have pity parties, see the unfairness in life and think on "if onlys".

The upstairs of my pit if full of sunshine, I really want to stay in this warmth of a place, but life happens and downstairs I run.

In her book, Beth says that we can't get out of this pit by ourselves.  She's right,you know.  On our own we will continually run up and down, only to feel wore out and defeated.

The only way to victory against the pit we have made for ourselves is answered in Psalm 40:1-3

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; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.  

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A Change of Heart ?



I have been around for awhile, I'm not new at this living life thing.  I sometimes think there is nothing that can surprise me, not that I'm as old as the hills for pete sakes, but the one thing that consistantly takes me off guard a bit, is how things in life never stay the same.  People, places, circumstances are continually changing.

The mention of the word change can send some into a state of panic, they just don't like change.  Others are always seeking out change, they are never content.  When I was younger I was the one seeking, I loved change, it meant excitement, new things ahead.  Now I am not fond of change although there are times I can do nothing about it, but go with the flow.

Some areas need change, whether we want to or not, in fact its the hardest area to change.  the heart doesn't change without a fight.  It self protects, doesn't like to be vulnerable and is easily hurt.

Physically and emotionally the heart is the most important organ in the body.  It's what keeps us alive physically, without it we would die,  emotionally it brings much happiness or hurt with such pain.

The spiritual side of the heart is of equal importance for without a drastic change of heart we die spiritually.  There are so many scriptures that speak of the heart, although they all draw to one conclusion, we must seek the Lord with all of our heart.  In Jeremiah 29:13  it's really clear.  "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".  In a nutshell, to find God we must seek Him with ALL of our heart, not a piece here and there or when its convenient but daily.  Spending time with Him, talking to Him, loving Him.  With Him there is nothing the heart can do but change.

1Samuel 16:7  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.   

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Where Is That Duck?

  Most of you won't remember this saying, your way too young.  When I was in grade school it was one of the popular lines everyone would say.  It goes something like this.  What's Life?  Life is a magazine.  O.K.  I know what your thinking. Seriously?  That's it?  Yep  I'm afraid it is.  (it was a much simpler time)  First of all you have to be old enough to know that once there was a magazine named Life. It was one of the more popular reads.  The jest of it was to do exactly what it said, talk about life, whether celebrity, ordinary or general.

You know things really haven't changed much in life.  Let's leave out technology, fads, communication, etc.  I'm talking behind the scene, when no one is around life.  I always say, "Just when you think  you have all your ducks in a row, one comes up missing."

Isn't that the way it goes in life?  Everything is going smooth, things are falling in place, you got your new job, you got that raise, you just found out your going to be a parent or a grandparent, you graduated, you got married.

Then it happens, the washer stops working, that bill left from Christmas comes in, the flu decided to make a visit to your house, the teacher called to make an appt. with you about your child.  You know what I mean.  Life just happens and sometimes its not very fair. It can be a hard road to climb. (or gate) depending on who you are.

How we cope with this unfairness will determine how we look at life.  We can become bitter and anxious, trying to do it all on our own or we can trust in the Lord that gave us life.  Trusting is not easy, its not the norm for us.  But it is the answer to "life" itself.  When life becomes rough and we don't know what to do, scripture makes it very clear.

Proverbs 18:10  The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are saved.

How are you looking at life right now?  Is it:  Bitter or Better ?

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