Typically my life just peters along, at its usual predictable
pace, until all of a sudden, “wham” it hits me. My motivation drops to an
almost zilch and I’m stuck in another pit, wondering when I will find my way
out of yet, another one. Another slump, another pit. I’ve been here before,
many times and I am very familiar with the emotional disconnect of a pit. In
the darkness of pits there is sadness, sometimes despair, alienation, gloom and
fear, the worst is fear. For with fear comes the deep concern of not being able
to get out again. Upon watching the new movie, “Risen”, I was reminded how the
Disciples felt after Jesus died on the cross. At first, most all of them ran
away. They too found themselves in a slump of sorts. Disconnected, alienated
from the one whom they had put their hope in, despair, gloom and even fear as
they sat down and wondered which way, they would now turn. You see, their
slumps as well as ours, are so often caused by feelings of misplacement or a
loss of something, self-disgust and even boredom. When our relationship or walk
with Christ is tainted or not what it once was, we become disconnected and
misplaced and we find ourselves in a slump or pit. When this happens, don’t
make it harder on yourself than it needs to be. They become harder, when we are
not prepared for them. If we are not prepared when they hit, we can easily
resign ourselves to a feeling of disconnect somewhere. Sometimes, when we are
the middle of a slump, pit or whatever you may be calling yours these days, its
easy to consider them to be personal penance for something that we have done.
The Disciples were feeling downcast because of their shame and lack of faith
during a time of crises. Sometimes it can happen when we deliberately
walk away from truth. But not all times as Jeremiah found himself in Jeremiah
38 as he was sinking down. Low ground always sinks. Sometimes little slumps can
come into our lives and leave us with a low level dullness that colors our
whole world a kind of grey. They are decidedly pervasive and can leave us with
an all-consuming lack of motivation and joy and can lasts for a short or
indefinite period of time, as it did with the disciples. It will be up to us and
us only to crawl out of those dark slumps and pits and into the light, where we
can see and think more clearly. At some point or another, you and I will cross
paths with a slump. You may have a limited supply of “personal motivation” and
“will power” and the longer you stay and struggle in it, the more strenuous the
task of coming out of it will be. When those reserves run low it can be
difficult to even start a task, let alone complete one. That is why it is so
important to be prepared for when they come and to stay connected to the power
source that will keep you energized in the Truth. The one thing that will send
you into a slump quicker than anything thing else is negative thinking against
what you know is God’s truth. No matter where negative thoughts begin, they
will always spill over into every other part of your life if allowed. The
scripture teaches us clearly to stay away from that way of thinking (stinking
thinking). “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things
are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians
4:8. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:” Proverbs
23:7a. It does not matter how you got there, be in pushed in, slipped or jumped
in. There is always a way out. Reach for the light by reaching for the Truth in
what God is telling you, and do it His way. I just came out of a slump! I did
it by doing exactly what I am encouraging you to do. I was prepared, I had been
there before. I knew what it was going to take. I was willing to do it God’s
way! I’m free, I’m out!
Hold Fast,
Bren
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