The Palace in the Pit

[olger]

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me..." PSALMS 138:7

Forward. This story is based on an experience we had in Idaho several months ago.

The Palace in the Pit

As we traveled back from Boise for a marriage seminar last April, the conversation between my wife & I was pleasant.

We shared some thoughts about people we had met and tried to minister to. One thought in particular stuck in my mind and has developed into this article.

In Boise we met a couple who were living together in a pit of despair. Our hearts went out to them. Within that pit, the walls are lined with pictures of the stories of self.

Over and over in my office I see the scenario repeated. Many times in my own life, I play out my own story, if I’m not careful. Here’s how it works.

Someone steps on our feelings causing us to hurt inside. Instantly we build walls to protect our hearts, isolating ourselves from those around us. These defensive walls keep us from being able to see what is going on around us.

In our frustration and our need to focus in life, we hang the pictures we have painted in our mind the walls, and there we sit and stare.

Over and over and over we recall the pain of the picture, trying to derive some kind of life from the experience, only to find darkness and despair overcoming our minds. Deeper and deeper we fall into the pit, adding more and more pictures as we accumulate the hurts and rejections from those who “don’t understand”. The walls of protection and the pictures of the past, destroy our ability to see the motives and intentions of others. A small window here, a crack there, and we convince ourselves we know what they are doing “out there”.

Every flicker of motion, every word spoken -- even in kindness, becomes a threat to our security. Isolation and with no one to trust only adds its own hurts and desperation, causing us to paint another picture to hang upon the wall—poor me!

Anger and depression become our constant companions in the palace we build in the pit of despair, offering their comfort at the onset, they become enemies within, seeking to destroy their own.

Today I am grateful to a Man. A Man who took upon Himself a tree. A tree and three large nails and descended into a pit. A pit of despair where there is no hope, future, or joy, only pain, sorrow, and destruction.

As the darkness enveloped Him, the memories of recent days raced through His mind giving Him endless opportunities to paint His pictures...but He didn’t!

Legions of angels were at His back, ready to destroy those who treated Him unfairly...but He didn’t!

Anger and depression screamed into His ears to just give up, that it is not worth it...but He didn’t! He didn’t because He saw another way. A way out of the pit and into His Father’s home.

Fastening His eyes on the Master, His Father, He said, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they have done,” and taking the three nails and the wooden cross He began building a stairway. A stairway out of the pit and into the glories of Heaven, showing us the way.

"Choose you this day whom you will serve." Self and the memories of the past, or the One who climbed the stairs and is seated in Heaven at the right hand of God.

Forgiveness is such a freedom.

og