4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. Psalm 88:4

Recall the story of Joseph in Genesis 37. His brothers were jealous of him and cast him into a pit, and then sold him to Ishmaelites. He didn’t seem to be in the pit long. Had he been in the pit (dry well) long, he surely would have died in the desert. The longer he stayed, the more energy would have been zapped from him. Joseph really had no way of escape except that others would help him out. His brothers pulled him out and promptly sold him. In their own twisted thinking, they had rescued their brother from death.

When you’re in a pit, you need help out, there’s just no two ways about it. You can try climbing but that’s often futile and a waste of precious energy. So what do you do? You wait and pray and hope help is on the way.

Sometimes the pits we find ourselves in are of our own making, that is, we make bad choices on top of other bad choices. Before we know it, we are trapped and can’t get out.

Sometimes, though, others toss us into that pit via hurtful comments and slander. We seethe in anger about how that person has hurt. It seems like we’re in the pit and can’t get out.

Two other Old Testament stories comes to mind. Daniel in the den with the lions, and Daniel’s friends: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. With Daniel, it was clear that a supernatural event took place to protect him from the lions. For the three friends, a fourth Friend showed up in the furnace.

So you see, in the midst of darkness and suffering, Christ provides a way out. It may not be the way you expected, but there will be a way out. As mentioned in the previous devotional, toss all of those weighty burdens on Him for He cares for you.