For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.” (Psalm 40:12 NIV)
If you’re in a pit, you’re not alone. Everyone has troubles, everyone has faults, we’re all struggling. We’re all seeking rest from our problems. We all want answers to why life is going the way it is going. But those answers aren’t available. Sometimes, with the aid of hindsight, we can see the purpose in our struggles, sometimes we can’t. David is crying out the words in today’s verse. He was a man after God’s own heart, yet he was drowning in his earthly troubles (1 Samuel 13:14 NIV). David, a prominent figure in the lineage of Jesus, is desperate. He needs help, he’s at rock bottom. He’s holding God accountable to His promises. David is crying out for the divine help that only comes from God. When you’re in the pit, God is in it with you.
When you’re in a pit, God is in it with you.
When I need to be reminded that God is with me in the pit, I think of Daniel and the lions den. Daniel refused to worship false gods, as a result, he was thrown in the pit, literally with lions. The next morning, the king goes to check on him:
“When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” (Daniel 6:20-22 NIV)
Whatever pit you’re in, you’re not alone. God is with you. He’s protecting you in ways you don’t know. He’s teaching you things to help you grow. He’s loving you, even if He’s silent. God is with you. He promises in the Bible, He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deut. 31:6 NIV, Heb. 13:5 NIV). Hold God accountable to His promises, trust that He is with you. No matter what the circumstances are in your life, God knows. God is with you, He has a plan. Trust in Him to let it unfold.
Question of the Day:
What promise do you need to hold God accountable for today?
Further Reading: Leviticus 15:1-16:28 NIV, Mark 7:1-23 NIV, Psalm 40:11-17NIV, Proverbs 10:13-14 NIV
