Learning best by experience…
(I realize I discussed living in a pit last post I did, like I have said before and I will say again, the Lord LOVES to give me object lessons. I guess he figures I learn best by experience)
I could try to come up with something spiritual today, put it all in a nice little bow. Unfortunately that is not how life is, so I am going to speak from the heart today. This week I was a pit dweller. Sometime last weekend I was pushed and sank into a pit. Not only did I fall into a pit, the water was rising fast. I could not even cry out, well I take that back I did cry out, but I was so loud in my head I could not hear anything but myself. While I was a pit dweller this week, there are 10 things I have learned (or at least the Lord wanted it fresh in my mind):
1. When you cannot pray, others will stand before the throne for you. I had enough wisdom to cry out to all my prayer warriors to cover me in prayers. I could not form a coherent thought myself at the moment.
2. I was dealing with anger, hurt, pride (you know all the ugliness). This week my house was put on the market, I have been painting, cleaning, organizing, etc… One painting job involved painting a ceiling. I am feeling muscles I have not felt in a long time. I did not go to bed this week, I collapsed. I was tired, and I was hurt by another person. During my pit dwelling and wound licking, I got to scrub. I cleaned with 90% cleaner and 10% tears this week. And personally I think I did more scrubbing of the inside of myself then I did of the house. Sometimes that type of scrubbing leaves you raw.
3. I found out God does not mind me tattling. I tattled my hurts; I told God how angry I was at a certain person, I explained my frustration, I even told God what I thought He was not doing. God listened. He also did not solve my problems right away.
4. Another thing I learned is that other people cannot get you out of your pit. Don’t get me wrong, I would still be in my pit if I did not had the encouragement, the prayers, and concern shown towards me this week. Heck, if I was totally relying on my irrational thoughts I would have got in my car and drove away. But thank God, I still had some sanity tucked in somewhere. But you have to want to be rescued; other people cannot do it for you.
5. Moms are good when you do finally break. When you know you officially give up fighting the pride, when you give up being angry, they are a good person to break down to (like when you are sitting in a parking lot waiting for your son, and you just break). Moms listen, and then they lovingly tell you what you need to do. Sometimes friends are afraid to speak this kind of truth, but not a Mother (well at least not mine thank goodness).
6. After a few days in my pit I decided this was God over matter, God is bigger and I have to make the choice to be saved. In the past I have wanted to dwell in my pit, I wanted to lick my wounds; I liked feeling sorry for myself. But that is allowing Satan to gain hold of me, WELL NOT THIS TIME. I cried out to God, I cried for forgiveness, and I asked for Him to intervene and take all this ugliness from me. I took all the encouragement and prayers from friends and family (for that was my only strength) and I said, I am washed in the blood and you have no claim over me. And then I feel asleep for the night.
7. The next day I woke with a new attitude. The next day I woke to praising God. Did my situation change…no. Did I still feel some pain towards the person who hurt my feelings….yes. So really nothing changed, except I gave all over to God to handle.
8. Slowly the person who hurt my feelings has been coming around; this person began reaching out to help me. The Lord is restoring the relationship and helping erase the pain. This is a relationship that was commanded from God to work things out.
9. I was not innocent in all of this the Lord showed me. I was dealing with pride (which Mother so wisely pointed out). The five letter word that has been my weakness in life. God reminded me that no matter how much I learn about him, not matter how far I think I have come. It only takes one incident (and not even a life shattering one) to throw me back into that pit. I am 100% dependent on God; he is my bread of life. He is MY LIFE.
10. The most important thing I have learned is that when you do have a time where you have spent time in the pit, and then you are set free. You realize how much time you wasted licking your wounds. So when you find yourself back in a pit once again, you do whatever you can to get out quickly. Sometimes it is kicking, screaming and yelling, but you know you need to get out as quick as possible. You remember what it is like to be trapped, and this is where the prayers of many standing before the throne for you, are a powerful tool against Satan.
So like the Casting Crows song says:
I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will life my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I’ve cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
God heard me all along; God loves me enough to teach me. Yes, I cried, Yes, I complained….but through it all I praised God. And God loves me. He also showed me how important the prayers of my prayer warriors were to me this week, for without them I would be lost.
2 Cor 2: 10-11 “On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.â€
Thank you Eh-lo-heem El-yon (I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me; ~Psm 57:2). Thank you that you do not turn a deaf ear to me, Oh Lord. You know my heart and only you can save me. So I will wait for your deliverance, for you are my redeemer (Psm 19:14) Thank you for the ones who you have brought into my life to pray for me and with me. And thank you that I in return can do the same. Father if one person is ministered today by you, then it is all worth it. Amen.
Bless you dear Laurel,thanks for sharing your pit dwelling experience with us. God is so good, and so very gracious to us. He lovingly picks us up out of the pit, and sets us back down on solid ground. I will be praying for you, God and I love you.
I had no idea you were going through all of this this week. I’m so sorry for the struggles — yet glad the Lord worked them together for good. Thank you for being so transparent.
It’s funny how some battles are fought and won and “done,” yet some things we have to continually battle through life and be on guard against. pride is one of those issues for me, too.
Have a blessed day!
Laurel, I really believe you are speaking to all of us. We are all at some point, a pit dweller. Thank you for sharing your heart, I know I recognize myself in a lot of what you spoke of (especially that five letter word, pride).
Praying for you and all of us pit dwellers to reach out and up!
This post was helpful to me today. I’m not in a pit, per se, but I do sometimes get a feeling that everything is “weird.” And I don’t know why or what to do next.
Thank you.
Ah. Yup, been there–except I can’t cry to my mom because my mom doesn’t understand my relationship with HIM. Continuing to pray. And yes, He uses everything.
I had no idea, Laurel. I was simply watching bloglines for a new post from you and thought you were awfully quiet this week but so am I so I didn’t give it another thought.
I’m so sorry someone hurt you like this. But I’m proud of you for turning it over to God and praying your way out of the pit.
Boy, that five letter word gets me often. It’s something I work on constantly. I needed to read this today.
1) Thank you for being real.
2) You could have pretty much written my past week of pit dwelling as well. Different sin, but equally “pit”iful.
3) I’ve done some crying out, but your point #6 is what I had yet to do. My pride has been huge on this. I’ve got to get more practiced at the turnaround.
I am so grateful for you sharing the real struggle. I know I need to stop being surprised by my humanity, and get a plan of action for the NEXT time I dive back into the pit…
((Hugs))
Lundie
Thank you, Laurel for sharing from your heart today. Yes, God is faithful and His love is huge.
I don’t think that you are the only one (if we are honest) battles with the issue of pride. Pride has reared its ugly head more that I want to remember…
Blessings to you and yours, my sweet friend.
Laurel, thank you for speaking from your heart today. By opening up and letting us see your humanness you have greatly ministered . We all get into those pits at times. Thanks for sharing the lessons you learned through yours. I’m going to remember your expression “God over matter”. I really nderstood that!
Lessons you learned, #1 and #6 are close to my heart! I am learning more to rely on my sis’ when I need prayer out of the pit…and my mom is the best friend a girl can have when she needs to unload on someone who will help her to laugh it off and utilize that ladder of life.
I love your list and encouragement! Especially your honesty…man it’s hard to confess sometimes that we need an uplift..or that “I” need an uplift.
Blessings to you,
Laurie
Laurel, thank you for speaking from your heart today. By opening up and letting us see your humanness you have greatly ministered . We all get into those pits at times. Thanks for sharing the lessons you learned through yours. I’m going to remember your expression “God over matter”. I really understood that!
Laurel,
I am amazed how God knows we sometimes are so hurt we can’t pray. We mayknow we need to pray and want to but can’t. Our family, our bothers and sisters in the Lord, step in and hold us up. I praise Him that I am able to stand inthe gap and that others stand for me when I am dwellin’.
I often am tied up in pride and the pit of that ugly part of me. This post spoke to my heart and my soul. Thank you.
Laurel – I had a feeling something was wrong this week. I knew you said you would be busy and wouldn’t be able to write as much, but I felt like something else might be going on. I think the Lord must have put you on my heart.
I love all that you said. I’ve experienced the same thing. I tend to repeat the same old pattern when things hurt me, and I want to do better. I want to skip all that “inbetween ” stuff and run straight to the Father. For some reason it is hard to learn – but it is so worth it.
Thanks for saying it so well. I’m so glad things are better.
Laurel…..I am so thankful for you sharing your “pit dwelling” experience because now I do not feel so alone…….had I known I would have been praying for you too…..I know how hard days like that are…..thank you for being real about it….I love that Casting Crowns song, its one of my favorite’s….
Blessings
Oh Laurel . . . the pit. Not a fun place but so many lessons can be learned. I’ve been in my own “pit” feeling like I couldn’t climb out. Yet, things are looking better today.
I love that song by Casting Crowns and I like when you said, “God reminded me that no matter how much I learn about him, not matter how far I think I have come. It only takes one incident (and not even a life shattering one) to throw me back into that pit. I am 100% dependent on God; he is my bread of life. He is MY LIFE.” How true.