When Scripture Leads You Out of the Pit

How a Journey Through God's Word Reminded Me of His Rescue, Redemption, and Steadfast Love

There are treasures in this book!

Some Quiet Contemplation

With my husband overseas, the house grew unusually quiet. I planned to use the time to reassess my book’s structure, and I searched Scripture for themes like faithfulness and rescue to add to my chapters.

I used the You Version Bible app to search for phrases such as “he pulled me out of the miry pit.” Searching for this verse phrase led me to reading Psalm 40:1 (ESV):

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.”

Which led me to the very next verse,

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.”

Psalm 40 stopped me in my tracks. Suddenly, I wasn’t just organizing chapters — I was remembering the pit God once drew me out of.

Yes! I thought. This is exactly what God did for me during a mental health breakdown I experienced in my twenties! It was neither quick nor easy, but He heard my cries, reached down, and pulled me out of the mud where I stood mired and sinking.

The scripture list next led me to Psalm 103:4,

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.”

Yes, He did all this for me! I smiled. It’s totally true! And then He stood me on the Rock of Himself!

One verse led me to another, and so off I’d go to search out that one. As I continued, verses popped up and out at me. When I found the ones I sought, or which fit one of my chapters to a tee, I jotted them into my notes.

Verse after verse led me down the scriptural road of Memory Lane, one to another. Time fell away as God’s Word built me up. Reading so many faithful promises from God, observing how they so often fit into my own life script, moved me from everyday complacency to absolute awe.

So many verses full of promises!!

I looked up with tears in my eyes, and only one thought:

What a Magnanimous God!!

One that looks out over his creation and sees little old me. One who created all things, yet still knows us intimately. One who cared enough about my steps and missteps to never leave me alone. One who redeemed my life from the pit of loneliness, breakdown, and despair.

One who loved us enough to die to keep us. One who never leaves us nor forsakes us. One who still guides and directs.

Are you longing for HIm today?

If you haven’t done this in a while, set aside time to linger in His Word. Let one Scripture lead you to another and watch how faithfully He retraces His rescue in your own life. Dig deep enough, and you will find the evidence of His steadfast love woven through every season — even the ones lost in a miry pit. You may begin reading out of discipline, but you will rise in wonder.

It is worth it! When His Word begins to speak, time falls away, and your soul is satisfied with steadfast love. What once felt ordinary becomes holy ground. Praise rises, humility deepens, and you find yourself longing—not just for answers—but for Him.

Warning: A Journey Into Awe and Thankfulness Ahead!

For Worship:

Praise the Lord Forever by Pat Barrett—(l love his last verse for those who may be going through the valley…)

*Photos by 1) Sixteen Miles Out and both 2) and 3) are chris liu on Unsplash