Solid Ground

“I waited patently 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).

I was a graduate student attending the National Association of Broadcasters Convention awards ceremony in Las Vegas. I was up for an Alpha Epsilon Rho National Broadcasting Society academic scholarship to be presented by former WKRP in Cincinnati star, Gordon Jump. Never thinking I would win, I didn’t pay attention to directions on how to exit the stage, so when they called my name as the recipient of a $500 scholarship award, I was in shock, but elated! I hurried up to the stage to accept the award, then proceeded to go back the same way I came, down the middle stairs, in front of everyone.

But I was supposed to exit Stage Right.

The house lights went out, I couldn’t see the stairs, and in my beautiful, formal dress, I proceeded to do a face plant in front of thousands of people. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.

Fast forward a few decades, and I am sitting in an auditorium wearing another fancy dress, up for another award, a Christian Literary Award, for my new book with Catherine Weiskopf, If I Only Had… Once again, I didn’t think I’d win, but if I did, I’d have to climb stairs to the stage to receive the trophy. When they called our names, I experienced the same excitement I felt as a graduate student. I leapt out of my chair, and ran up to the stage.  It was a great honor! While I tried to focus on the moment, in the back of my mind, I remembered the face plant, and thought, Please don’t let me fall, Lord.

God was faithful. I floated back to my seat, without tripping.

As I compare the two scenarios, so similar, but with different results, it reminds me of how far God has brought my life. In graduate school, I was not walking closely with the Lord. It took a number of humbling experiences like that one to finally bring me into obedience to his ways. When I eventually surrendered my life to Christ, he lifted me out of a pit, and set my feet on a firm place to stand.

Today, I realize the Lord wasn’t going to let me fall as I left the stage Saturday night. This was His award, for His glory, but the enemy tried to place doubt in my mind, and took my mind to a place years ago when I was not standing on solid ground. He attempted to steal my joy.

Has this ever happened to you? You are now following Jesus, but Satan reminds you of those days when you tripped up? You are now standing on a solid faith, but he efforts to snatch the rock beneath your feet by taking your mind to past sin?

Remember, you are no longer stuck in the mud. You are a new creation. When reminders of your past creep into your brain, speak back to them, and tell them those days are ancient history. You are not that person anymore. At some point, God heard your cry, and he lifted you out of the pit. No one can steal the solid ground beneath you.

Maybe you are in a pit right now. Perhaps you long for a firm place to stand. Give your life completely over to Jesus, trust God to rescue you, and never look back, except to see how far you’ve come. (LBW)