The Ditch! That place where we spend time when we are not supposed to be spending time there. It’s a slippery place too. If you take one step into it, it’s not uncommon to lose your footing and slide quickly down into its depths. Once there, it’s difficult to get back out. Difficult, yes, but not impossible. I don’t know what ditch or ditches you’ve been in, or may be in now, but wow have I visited quite a few ditches in my lifetime. Today, I’m going to tell you about one of those ditches; the one I’ve been spending time in recently.
Do you ever doubt? When you don’t see something happening, and you’ve been waiting a long time, do you start to doubt it will happen? Whatever “it” is in your life, if God has promised you something, He is faithful to fulfill His promise. He will do what He says in His perfect timing. We need to trust His timing even when we see no evidence in the present moment.
True Story Ahead
Lately, I’ve been in the ditch of doubt.
Philippians 1:6 has been brought to my attention every single day this past week.
“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (ESV).
I’ve been waiting years for something and it still hasn’t happened. Okay, I’ve been waiting years for a lot of things to happen actually, but one major thing in particular and it has not happened…yet.
I can’t say what my “it” is, but I’m still waiting.
There have been so many times I’ve started to doubt, but God only lets me go so far in doubting before He reminds me to step back into faith.
This is the path where He wants me firmly planted. Don’t step off that path because when we do, we’re stepping into the sludge of the enemy, and he will drag us down into the deepest ditches where deceit and doubt live along with so many other ugly “D’s.”
Unfortunately, I’ve been in those ditches too many times in my life and then it takes all of my energy to climb back up and out. Truthfully, there’s never been a time I could get myself completely out of a ditch. I’ve always had to cry out to God Himself to help me.
In doing so, I’ve had to relinquish my pride and ask God to personally pull me out. Then I wait for Him to come to my rescue.
He always does, but sometimes He’s let me sit in the ditch for a while before He rescues me. I know now He’s allowing me to reflect on my present position and what caused me to be entrenched in the ditch.
I’ve had to determine I wasn’t going to stay in the ditch of despair, the ditch of disagreement, the ditch of disgust, the ditch of disappointment, the ditch of defeat…I could go on and on with a list of ditches I’ve been in, but I think you get the picture.
I’ve been in the ditch of doubt this past week. It’s a difficult place to be. It’s ugly and is far from where I desire to be…walking firmly in faith.
Ditch of Doubt
Here’s what I know. God allows me to make my own choices and sometimes I don’t choose so well. When I make unwise choices, that’s when my foot slips off God’s path. If I’m not careful my enemy grabs my foot and starts pulling me into his ditch.
It’s in these moments he starts uttering his deceit. He’s not called the deceiver of the whole world for no reason (Revelation 12:9).
I will add, he’s really good at deceiving us too. He twists words in ways that we don’t even realize he’s twisting them. He knows exactly what to do to us to tempt us into his ditch because you see, his ditch doesn’t look like the sick swamp it really is.
It looks more like a place we’re entitled to live, a place where we are always the one who is right, a place where we don’t have to surrender to others or love others or be kind to others or be patient with others.
Our enemy, the devil, camouflages the ditch of deceit and gets us all confused with his lies. If we’re not careful, and let’s face it, every single one of us doesn’t just accidently slip into these ditches.
Well, sometimes we do, but often we choose to step into the deceiver’s ditch.
While this world is full of the deceiver’s ditches, and we live in this world, I want to boldly remind you that God’s children do not belong in the ditch.
We are not to live in the deceiver’s ditch.
As children of the most Holy One, we do not belong in the ditch of doubt.
Friends, we need to stand firmly in our faith.
What is Faith?
Faith is not what we see. Faith is being confident that God will do what He says He will do even when we can’t see it.
“To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1, GNT).
Faith is about trusting God without evidence other than His Word. We have to trust without proof. If we need proof, we’re not living by faith.
I confess this past week I’ve been doubting again. Every. Single. Day.
I’ve doubted He will do what He promised me because I don’t see the proof of it.
God has reminded me He will finish the good work He has begun. I can count on Him even though I don’t see evidence of my “it.” He is working to finish His amazing work.
I’m pretty sure me understanding this is a piece of the puzzle. The puzzle can’t be completed without ALL the pieces put in place.
God isn’t about partial puzzles. He doesn’t say, “Oh, that’s good enough. I can see what it’s supposed be.” Nope. Not my God. My God is determined to put every single puzzle piece in place. He completes the whole thing.
So, today, I confess to God, and to you, I’ve doubted His abilities this past week, but by His grace and His love He has pulled me out of the ditch of deceit and doubt and has placed me back firmly on the path of faith.
The devil was trying to deceive me again. He’s used the same tactic for years. He was trying to make me believe that which God has promised me won’t happen.
Well, my eyes have been opened again by God Himself. The devil can just go back to his disgusting ditch of deceit by himself. Michelle’s been pulled out.
I am 100% confident that God who began a good work with my “it” will complete His work.
Challenge to You
If you’re struggling with your faith, I get it. But here’s what I’m going to tell you. While God Himself rescues us, we each have our own part to do too.
We have to keep ourselves from being deceived. We have to keep ourselves in God’s Word so we know what truth is and how God wants us to live.
We can’t expect to stay on the path of faith when we are so easily taken down into the ditch. The only way we get stronger and more confident of God is to spend time with Him.
Friends, I’m telling you this, there is no shortcut to a stronger faith. It takes time and determination to stay the course that God puts you on. Don’t try to rush it either. I’ve tried speeding up God’s timing. It doesn’t work.
Take as much time as you need with God Himself. Allow Him to strengthen you, to remind you Whose you are, and how much He loves you.
Get to know your God.
Read His Word.
Let His Words penetrate your heart and mind, then you’ll be transformed.
Change doesn’t happen quickly, but with God we can do some pretty amazing transformations.
Stay strong, my friends.
Stay on the path of faith.
Be cautious of the twisted words the enemy uses to drag you into his ditch.
When you start slipping down into one of the enemy’s ditches, grab hold of God’s hand and let Him pull you back up and set you firmly on His path.
If I can do this. I know you can too.
Be careful spending time in any ditch.
May God Himself strengthen your faith and plant you firmly on the path of faith…Every. Single. Day.
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