Soul-Counsel: From a pit of Condemnation
It's way too easy to fall into a pit of condemnation and shame, isn't it?
Too much time is spent in this pit, pondering the "what if I hadn't done that?" questions, as well as the "is there any hope for me now?" question.
Or there are other times where I've jumped straight to the "there is no hope for me now" conclusion.
Do you relate?
As one who can easily overthink things, I have often found myself digging deeper into this pit, simply because I am good at finding more reasons to do so.
But as one who has been bought by the blood of Jesus, is this really where I should be living? I am His, am I not?
Didn't His sacrifice and glorious resurrection make it possible for us to get back up when we fall and not even look back with shame and condemnation over our heads?
Doesn't His resurrection power live within us and give us the ability to smile because we can't by ourselves do anything He asks of us -but in Christ we can?
The answer is a resounding yes!
I need this reminder more often than I care to recount.
And all too often, that mountaintop of clarity where the cross is clear, and the vivid sight of my victorious Lord standing over my sin as the mighty Victor, can quickly become shrouded in cloudy confusion simply because I got my eyes off of Him and onto my own failings.
But the beauty of it is, we don't need to stay there.
In fact, our stay in the pit of condemnation when we fall can get shorter, and we can even learn to avoid it altogether if we learn one very important thing: to look away from ourselves and onto Jesus.
It's a battle strategy that works every time.
Why? Because He is the Shepherd that pulls us out of the pit. He is the Shepherd that guides us around each pit, too.
We are, in fact, like sheep that get lost the moment we forget to look for and listen to Him.
Below is a piece of soul-counsel I was reminded of recently that I wrote back in January when I had fallen into a pit like the one described above. In it, you can see the decision being made to get my eyes off of self and onto Him. You can sense the victory that was being experienced as that decision was being made.
Not saying that decision hasn't had to be made again since.
Maybe that's why I'm pulling it out now. I myself need this reminder.
"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along." (Psalm 40:1-3)
Oh soul, now is the time for God to rescue you. This is not merely a psalm to describe past experiences.
Are you in a pit again? Maybe it's different than the last one, but it's still a pit, and He is your Shepherd, looking for you as His sheep again.
Do you think He doesn't care? Is that why you haven't cried out in faith that He will come? Do you think He expects you to find your own way out of this one?
Look into His face, little sheep. He is not mad at you. Did you think He would be? He is not. He knows His little sheep is not all-knowing, as He is, and can't possibly avoid every pit.
Hear His voice, little sheep. It's tender and merciful as He assures you afresh that all will be well. There is not a hint of agitation in His voice, not a trace of anger at your uncanny ability to find and fall into every pit. He knows you. You're His.
Are you broken and shaken by yet another fall?
Oh, my soul, He is not. Feel His gentle hands lift you and hold you close to His heart. Listen to His heart as it beats with compassion for you. Feel His strength as He puts you on your feet again on solid ground and steadies you for each step.
Allow Him to help you, Oh my soul.
This is the point: you need Him, because He is the all-knowing One, not you. And He is the One who can keep you from falling into another pit.
Allow His rescue of you to breed deeper dependence and allow this fresh taste of His love to inspire new songs of worship in you.
Remember, He does not rescue you afresh so that you can learn to live independent of Him. He rescues you so you can learn to live nearer to Him.
He rescues you so many will see His kindness being displayed in you and believe that they, too, can be rescued by this tender Shepherd.
Look up, Oh my soul. This is not about you. It never was about you, so the pressure is off. No need to perform. No need to try to prove you're worth saving.
It was always about Him so that you, little sheep, could learn to live in the safety and glory of His shadow.
His love for you is always deeper and broader than you think.
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