They spread a net for my feet— I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path— but they have fallen into it themselves.

~Psalm 57:6~

Why is it that we sometimes find ourselves wedged between the bottom of someone else’s pit and the surface that we so desperately fought to climb out of on our own?  Or, more accurately, the solid ground that God so firmly set us on when He delivered us from our own pit?  It amazes me that no matter how far along I get in my walk, I am still able to be sidetracked by what looks like a good investment of my time and energy…what looks like it has the potential to be a relationship.  Thankfully, though, it also amazes me that my response to deceptive behavior is no longer to accept it blindly but to fight it with every ounce of wisdom that God has given me and to effectively remove myself from what proves to be unable to bear fruit in my life. 

I was having a conversation the other day with my sister and we were talking about our need to hit bottom when we are going through something and can’t seem to turn the situation around.  It occurred to me as we were talking that maybe, the person causing the dismay in my life also needs to hit bottom to make significant changes but he can’t because I’m blocking his fall.  By continuing to offer my love and support to him when he clearly refuses to accept it on any genuine level, he is being enabled by me to continue on in his quest for self-destruction and sees me only as a good reason to keep hurting himself and others.  Aside from all of this, by concentrating my energy on loving this person that doesn’t want or know how to be loved, I am operating outside of God’s will for my life.  This is the part that I can’t be okay with.

Last night I was thinking about the whole situation and of how easy it had been for me to get wrapped up in the problems of this person whom I had convinced myself I loved.  As an advocate for the empowerment of women, I should have seen this kind of attack on the horizon.  Of course, Satan wouldn’t want me to advance in my efforts to help women break free from oppressive relationships.  By trying to stick me in one of these, he thought he had me out of the way.  I’ve got news for the evil one, however; my God has done good work in me and I’m so much stronger now than I used to be.  I know that God’s path for me does not include trailing behind someone who not only doesn’t love himself, but doesn’t love God as he should which translates into a non-existent capacity to love me as I deserve to be loved. 

Emerging from broken relationships is a long journey and can take a toll when we take our eyes off of God.  I praise the wonderful power of God for delivering me from a painful relationship and showing me that I have been remade.  I am better than this and He knows it.  And so, with my eyes fixed on God, I can now see the nets that were laid out for me by the enemy and I can walk forward confidently knowing that he’ll not catch me up in his treachery by disguising it as love.  Be wary of those who don’t share your love for God.  Never let them limit your desire to testify and praise the work that God has done in you.  If you feel oppressed in your relationship, you probably are.  Break free, get out, move on, follow God. 

God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.

~Job 33:28~

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