Bible Studies

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“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.” Psalm 40:1-2

Many times, when we are in our own pit of addiction (or any sin that is consuming us), we feel “stuck in the mud”. Like struggling in quicksand, we are powerless to get ourselves out. Only God can reach down and save us if we will lift up our hands in complete surrender to Him.

STEP 1: We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction (dependencies, problems) and that our lives had become unmanageable.

In Beth Moore’s book, Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God’s Deliverance (2007), she talks about the three ways we can end up “in a pit”. I would like to go further in that area of study and talk about how that applies to our addiction.

1. You can be thrown or pushed into a pit. Some things happen in our lives that we have absolutely no control over. Some people in the Bible who were thrown into a pit were:
a. Esther – She was an orphan who was forced to compete in a “beauty contest” and became part of the King’s “harem”. (Book of Esther).
b. Job – He was a godly man who lost everything – wealth and family – in a matter of days. (Book of Job).
c. Daniel – He was taken from his home, forced to live a different life and thrown into a pit of lions. (Book of Daniel).
d. Joseph – He is the most remarkable example of someone who was repeatedly thrown into a pit. He was literally thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers, and then taken out only to be sold into slavery. After being sold into slavery, he finds favor with Potiphar, only to be falsely accused of rape and imprisoned, then forgotten about even after helping others. (Genesis Ch. 37-45).

Aside from being thrown into a pit, all of these people had something else in common. They knew that they were powerless and that their situations were unmanageable. They put their trust in God, and as a result, great things happened.
• Esther saved her people from destruction.
• Job gained a greater understanding of God and was completely restored.
• Daniel became a great success in Babylon and even led his friends to stand up for God.
• Joseph became ruler of Egypt, saved the land from famine, and reconciled with his family. He forgave his brothers and even told them, “What you intended for harm, God turned around for His good.” (Genesis 50:20).

When circumstances beyond our control force us into a pit, we don’t have to stay there. I was thrown into a pit, when I was abused as a child, but I still had the ability to choose whether to stay in the pit or ask God to help me out. I know that what happened to me greatly influenced the choices I made, but it was still my responsibility to make the right decisions. Had I chosen to trust God, admit my powerlessness and give Him control, He would have pulled me out of my pit much sooner and I would have avoided so much more pain. Thank God, though, He can take those things the devil intends for harm in our lives and use it for His good. I am a living example of how He does just that!!

2. You can slip or fall into a pit. Many times, relapse happens when we slip into a pit. Two reasons we slip are 1) either we were not paying attention, or 2) we were walking too close to the edge.
Some people from the Bible who fell into pits were:
a. Lot – His selfishness, lust for wealth, and need for acceptance led him straight to the city of Sodom, where he fell into a pit. He did get out (thanks to his uncle Abram’s plea to God, and God’s grace), but it cost him dearly. (Genesis Ch. 12-14).
b. Samson – Although Samson is described in Hebrews 11 as a great man of faith, he also fell into a pit. He trusted in his own strength instead of realizing who his strength came from. His affection for Delilah blinded him to the pit in front of him. Samson went from great triumph to great shame. Samson’s story shows that it is never too late to give God control of your life. In his final moments, he cried out to God and God heard him and answered his prayer. (Judges Ch. 16).
c. David is another great example of falling into a pit. Although he was a man after God’s own heart who encountered great victories as a result, he allowed selfishness, pride and boredom to distract him, causing him to fall into a pit. He, like Samson, came to the end of himself, and called out for God’s deliverance. God stretched out His hand and lifted David “out of the mud and mire” and set his “feet on a rock”. (Psalm 40:2).
Make no mistake; there are always consequences when we sin. Lot lost his wife, Samson lost his life, and David lost at least 2 sons as a result of sin, but when God lifts us out of that pit, the restoration and reconciliation that we experience are beyond compare to any pain we have felt.

There have been times in my life when I slipped into a pit. I was either too close to the edge by hanging around the wrong people, putting myself in dangerous situations (like thinking I could play drums with my old band in a bar and not drink), or isolating myself and withdrawing from church and godly friends. There were also times I slipped because I got comfortable and complacent. The most recent incident was when my dentist gave me Vicodin last year for tooth pain. I was feeling pretty confident about my sobriety, and before I realized it, I was taking too many pills and calling the dentist trying to get more. God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, put up roadblocks and helped me see that I was falling into a pit. With His strength, I was able to stop the addictive behavior. Staying sober – like leading a Christ-like life – requires honesty, vigilance and staying alert and aware of our circumstances and limitations.

3. Sometimes, you can take a running leap and JUMP right into a pit.
a. Cain is an example of a jumper. He was angry at God and at his brother because Abel’s offering was “better”. God gave him opportunities to change his mind and attitude, but Cain’s anger and rebellion caused him to jump into a pit. The end result was murder. (Genesis 4).

Although our end result may not be that extreme, rebellion against God is very dangerous. God hates rebellion – He likens it to the sin of witchcraft (I Samuel 15:23).

There have been times in my life that I have jumped into a pit because of my own rebellion. I would let my emotions go unchecked and instead of taking my feelings to God and working them out in prayer, Bible study and other healthy ways, I would let them grow and fester into bitterness and rebellion. I would get angry with God because things were not going the way I wanted them to, and would commit a specific sin (like drinking) just to “get back at God” or try to hurt Him because I was hurt.

Thank God, His love is beyond our comprehension. He delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling. (Psalm 56:13). If you have ever been in a pit or are in a pit right now – take heart. God can and will deliver you from the pit. There are two very important things to know:
1. God loves you unconditionally and He washes you whiter than snow. Romans 8:1 says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”
2. In His infinite wisdom, He works everything out for our good and His glory. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
He has called us, justified us and glorified us and nothing in heaven or earth, can separate us from His love for us. We can overcome any obstacle if we will give Him control of our lives. (vs. 30, 35-39).

Reference:

Moore, B. (2007). Get out of that pit: Straight talk about God’s deliverance. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

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