Out of the Miry Bog to a Secure Rock

All humans want comfort and safety in their lives; these are basic needs. When I moved to the West ten years ago, that was my goal too. I didn’t face serious problems where I lived before, but people naturally seek more safety and comfort. This is why we see migration happening within and between countries around the world. Can it be a miry bog?

Miry bog – who comes up with words like that? Let’s just say it means a slippery, muddy place. It’s insecure, messy, and uncomfortable. Talking about immigration, I haven’t met anyone who found true security and comfort just by moving to a new place. Usually, people fall into a life filled with temptations, busyness, jealousy, complaints, and sadness while searching for the next best thing or place that can bring happiness and security.

Another example of a miry bog I think of is my marriage in its earlier stage. My expectation was that marriage would make my life better, comfortable, and secure. But never in my life had I felt a more uncomfortable situation than marriage. It took at least a year to realize I was on slippery ground in that situation.

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.
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.
Blessed is the man who makes
    the Lord his trust,
- Psalm 40: 1-4, ESV

In both my relocation and marriage it was a lesson on waiting on the Lord. This patient learning for the LORD is also the way He teaches to trust in Him. Though grown up as a Christian, I didn’t develop a practice of continuing to trust in the Lord. Thank God He inclined to me and taught me whether crucial matters or trivial situations, the LORD only can make our paths secure.

Sin is life apart from God. Anytime when God is left out we are in a miry bog and in a pit of destruction. In many times temptation is to leave God out in every day simple matters of life. But we are to trust in him in all our plans, desires , thoughts and actions. Good news: Seek the Lord and you will find Him whatever life situation or deep pit you are slipping into.

What miry bog are you facing now?

What pit have you fallen into?

It can be that you have never truly known God and your life is moving from one trouble to the next one. It can be that you got to know God early in life through church attendance but never learned to trust Him in every day matters of life. Now you see the slipperiness of your life and trouble is brewing like a volcano. No books you read, any friends or community you are part of, any amount of money you are bringing in – you still feel far from peace and comfort.

Sometimes it can be the weariness from the heavy work of parenting the little ones God has entrusted us in our life. The amount of attention a toddler need and the effort needed to watch them from falling in danger can make one completely exhausted and often to the point of going crazy. What about the fluctuating needs and demands from what you thought to be a satisfying work that now you are dreading to go.

In some situation you are doing everything right but still you feel crushed by the harm others are bringing to your life. This seems to be the matter in the case in the above mentioned Psalm. David as writer and Jesus as Messiah had to go through suffering while doing good yet in God’s plan. Some times it can be the suffering and hardship from this world that is rightly bothering you as a miry bog.

Marriage is instituted by God’s plan. Children are a blessing from the Lord. Work is in the purpose of God for man. Ruling the world is a command from the Lord. Even if you are struggling in all of this area it is in the plan of the Lord for man. The problem is when we do God’s plan without Him. When God is not in the center of marriage, parenting, working, or any life pursuits it all will put us in a uncomfortable and slippery ground.

God as Provider of life, salvation, purpose is rightly the one to whom we can depend on. There is no certainty in this world in any places, relationships, and upon things we gather. Turn to Him in all areas of your life. Wait patiently for the Lord to work even when things gets hard. Remember hard does not mean bad. We should expect life to be harder when we live in this broken world. As per God’s Word suffering is a hallmark of God’s children. Develop the habit of trusting in Him in both simple and hard situations of life. Praise God with songs. Share the great things He is doing in your life with others who need to hear that from you. In any situations though blessed and secured are those who trust in the Lord. God is the only secure rock we can stand!