Finding Yourself At "Wits' End Corner"
"They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits’ end [all their wisdom has come to nothing].
Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses."
--Psalm 107:27-28 (Amplified)
Are you standing at Wits' End Corner, Christian, with troubled brow? Are you thinking of what is before you and all you are bearing now? Does all the world seem against you and you in the battle alone? Remember--at Wits' End Corner is just where God's power is shown.
Are you standing at Wits' End Corner blinded with wearying pain, feeling you cannot endure it, you cannot bear the strain, bruised through the constant suffering, dizzy, and dazed, and numb? Remember--at Wits' End Corner is where Jesus loves to come.
Are you standing at Wits' End Corner, your work before you spread, all lying begun, unfinished, and pressing at heart and head, longing for strength to do it, stretching out trembling hands? Remember--at Wits' End Corner the Burden Bearer stands.
Are you standing at Wits' End Corner? Then you're just in the very spot to learn the wondrous resources Of Him who fails you not. No doubt to a bigger pathway your footsteps will soon be moved But only at Wits' End Corner is the "God who is able" proved. --Antoinette Wilson (taken from Streams In The Desert, 1925, L.B. Cowman)
Autism...adultery...separation and divorce...alcoholism, abuses of the mind.. of the heart.. of the spirit...infidelity and abandonment...mind games and loss...seasons of drought and want...instability and see-sawing...gaslighting and triangulating...even more infidelities and emptiness...depression, inward loathing, and silent insanity...dysfunction of every kind...
I wish I could say I have never found myself in any part of these neighborhoods of "Wits' End Corner" but that would be far from the truth. The reality is "Wits' End Corner" isn't the only place I've ever found myself standing. Sadly I have pitched my tent on "Beat Down Boulevard," crawled my way across "Despondency Drive," until finally collapsing on "Exhaustion Avenue." Even more sad is the fact in every instance of pitching my tent in these places the stakes were driven deeper and deeper in. The darkness was overwhelming. The emptiness enveloping. I was so far outside the will of God I couldn't see daylight. My cries were loud. My tears were rivers. Each seemed to ricochet off the corners of my pathetic little universe only to return to me as empty if not emptier than I was. Where are You, God? Are You there? Are You even listening? Do You care?
Little did I know...He was there! Every minute, every second, every hour He was holding me, weeping with me, carrying me, taking my weakness and giving me His strength, wrapping me in a garment of praise while removing the spirit of heaviness, covering me in beauty and blowing away the ashes. This was not an overnight process. The truth of the matter is I was the spiritual equivalent of Bob Wiley, Bill Murray's character in the 1991 black comedy What About Bob? in which Bob, a psychiatric patient with multiple phobias, follows his arrogant psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (played by Richard Dreyfuss) while on vacation. Bob's mantra is very simple, having been adapted by Dr. Marvin's bestselling book entitled Baby Steps. The idea behind Baby Steps, as explained by Dr. Marvin, is to set small, attainable goals for yourself and building upon these goals as they are reached. After duping Dr. Marvin's secretary into revealing the address of Dr. Marvin's summer residence he makes the bus trip ("Baby steps, get on the bus...baby steps, get on the bus...") to Lake Winnepesaukee and from there it's one hilariously chaotic event after another.
I was my own Bob. Baby steps, get out of bed. Baby steps, put one foot in front of the other. Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps. Baby steps didn't feel like much to me then but looking back I can see their importance. Baby steps meant I was moving forward rather than standing still. Baby steps meant I was making progress rather than staying stuck in the mud. Baby steps meant I was being brought through.
Psalm 107: 13-14 tells me, "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them." As I read further I see in verse 20 that "He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction." And, as if that isn't sweet enough, Psalm 23: 4 says,
"Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me." Such a precious balm to a weary and depleted soul. Something I may never have come to experience had I not been taken through my own Valley Of The Shadow.
Where are you now? Are you fumbling your way through your own valley experience? Have you found yourself at Wits' End Corner wielding a hammer and tent stakes? Cry out to Him! He is mighty to save! He rejoices over you with singing! He will bring you out of your darkness and rescue you from whatever pit you may find yourself in! All you have to do is take hold of His outstretched hand.
Devotional Time
Take a moment and reflect on Psalm 107. Think of times in your life when you were at your wits'end, crying out to God. Think on those same times and recall how He brought you out of your darkness. Thank Him for His watch care and provision. Thank Him for being "He who is able".
Little did I know...He was there! Every minute, every second, every hour He was holding me, weeping with me, carrying me, taking my weakness and giving me His strength, wrapping me in a garment of praise while removing the spirit of heaviness, covering me in beauty and blowing away the ashes. This was not an overnight process. The truth of the matter is I was the spiritual equivalent of Bob Wiley, Bill Murray's character in the 1991 black comedy What About Bob? in which Bob, a psychiatric patient with multiple phobias, follows his arrogant psychiatrist Dr. Leo Marvin (played by Richard Dreyfuss) while on vacation. Bob's mantra is very simple, having been adapted by Dr. Marvin's bestselling book entitled Baby Steps. The idea behind Baby Steps, as explained by Dr. Marvin, is to set small, attainable goals for yourself and building upon these goals as they are reached. After duping Dr. Marvin's secretary into revealing the address of Dr. Marvin's summer residence he makes the bus trip ("Baby steps, get on the bus...baby steps, get on the bus...") to Lake Winnepesaukee and from there it's one hilariously chaotic event after another.
I was my own Bob. Baby steps, get out of bed. Baby steps, put one foot in front of the other. Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps. Baby steps didn't feel like much to me then but looking back I can see their importance. Baby steps meant I was moving forward rather than standing still. Baby steps meant I was making progress rather than staying stuck in the mud. Baby steps meant I was being brought through.
Psalm 107: 13-14 tells me, "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and broke apart the bonds that held them." As I read further I see in verse 20 that "He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction." And, as if that isn't sweet enough, Psalm 23: 4 says,
"Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me." Such a precious balm to a weary and depleted soul. Something I may never have come to experience had I not been taken through my own Valley Of The Shadow.
Where are you now? Are you fumbling your way through your own valley experience? Have you found yourself at Wits' End Corner wielding a hammer and tent stakes? Cry out to Him! He is mighty to save! He rejoices over you with singing! He will bring you out of your darkness and rescue you from whatever pit you may find yourself in! All you have to do is take hold of His outstretched hand.
Devotional Time
Take a moment and reflect on Psalm 107. Think of times in your life when you were at your wits'end, crying out to God. Think on those same times and recall how He brought you out of your darkness. Thank Him for His watch care and provision. Thank Him for being "He who is able".
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