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b'Life digs a pit and throws me, kicking and flailing, inside. I hit the bottom hard. There\\u2019s no escape, so I call out, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Lord, save me! I\\u2019m not meant to exist in this pit. I know Your plan is good!\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nI sit down and wait for my Savior, expectant for His face to appear over the edge. \\nTime passes, and I fidget, wondering why it\\u2019s taking Jesus so long to intervene. I know He heard me.\\nI stand up. I hear noises! My eyes flit back and forth, expecting a rope or a hand. Instead, I see dirt from a shovel come flying into the pit.\\nI duck my head just in time to protect my eyes. More scoops come until my hair and shoulders are dusty and my nostrils twitch with oncoming sneezes. \\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Who\\u2019s up there?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I shout.\\nSatan pokes his head over the edge and grins. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It\\u2019s me. Adding misery to what Life does. Fun, isn\\u2019t it?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nAnother scoop follows his words down to the bottom of the pit. I back myself against the wall of the pit. I press my lips together, trying to keep my heart steadfast. I know my Savior loves me.\\nI eventually snap over the shovelfuls that don\\u2019t stop. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Lord, if you\\u2019re not gonna get me out of here, could You at least bring me a shovel so I can throw some dirt back at him?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I shout. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Don\\u2019t You care that Satan\\u2019s winning?!\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nJesus comes. All the way to the bottom. He has a board and begins tamping the loose dirt. He sings the Song of Grace as He works.\\nI frown. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Why are you down here? Can\\u2019t You get me out? Don\\u2019t You wanna thwart Satan\\u2019s dirt?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nJesus looks at me with love. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Trust Me,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d He says. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It might look like Satan is winning, but here\\u2019s the secret. I am using his evil, feeble work to fill in the pit. He thinks he is destroying forever. But I am restoring things\\u2014even this very pit\\u2014 using his evil intentions for good. When I am done tamping, we will walk out of the pit together on solid, level ground.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d H. K. Rausch\\n\\u2022 We live in a world broken by sin (Romans 8:19-24). How did Jesus\\u2014on the cross and through His resurrection and ascension\\u2014destroy sin and Satan\\u2019s power (Colossians 2:9-15)?\\n\\u2022 Read Romans 8:28-39. How can we know God is good and is working all things for good? What is the end result of God\\u2019s purposes for His people (see verses 29 and 30)? \\n\\u2022 Read John 11:35 and Hebrews 4:14-16. What comfort can we get from knowing God became human and experienced life in this broken world? Why is it important that Jesus knows what suffering\\u2014 including death\\u2014feels like? \\n\\u2022 What can we, as Christians, do while we wait for God to reveal how He will work in a particular situation (Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:4-8; 1 Peter 5:7)? Why is it important that He is with us while we wait (Matthew28:20)?Is suffering the end of the story (Revelation 21:1-5)?\\nAnd we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nProverbs 16:4; Colossians 2:13-15; 2 Peter 3:8-13'