Pro 20.4 -  The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

1Co 9:10  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

A plow is a farm implement consisting of a heavy blade at the end of a beam, usually hitched to a draft team or motor vehicle and used for breaking up soil and cutting furrows in preparation for sowing.  The primary purpose of ploughing is to turn over the upper layer of the soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, while burying weeds, the remains of previous crops, and both crop and weed seeds, allowing them to break down. It also aerates the soil, allows it to hold moisture better during the hot season—and even during times of draught and provides a seed-free medium for planting an alternate crop.

Ow! The Plow...it hurts my dirt!

The blades of this plow need to stop now.

They thrash and slice, wrecking my life.

Such upheaval and pain could never bring gain!

But as I look at my ground all tilled and undone,

I see mostly Me and very little of the Son.

The seed has been sown, but He has not grown

So I turn to the Father and as I look in His eyes,

I see this has been done to bring forth His Son.

My focus then turns, my heart now yearns,

May God's harvest come, more of the Son!

http://www.christaslife.com/KellyKoshatka_text/Newsletters/Threshing_Part_9_The_Plow.pdf

A trial isn't always designed to correct us; it's designed to prepare us. So bear with me as I plow.  In Rev 2:4 the Lord states that "Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love".  The Father desires for us to return to Him.  But we have turned to our own ways.  We have digged down deep, removed the foundation (TRUTH OF THE WORD), and followed after our own ways.

The Word declares in Pro 26:27  Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.  The word "diggeth" means cleaning out sufficient dirt and debris for various purposes.  We have removed the TRUE FOUNDATION for our own purposes.  The word "pit" is used to describe the pit of destruction from which the Lord's love saves (Isa 38:17 ).  Job uses the word in a rhetorical sense to describe a situation in which there is no hope (Job 17:14 ).  Are you living in a pit of despair? I remember a story once of a farmer's donkey that fell into a well.  The farmer in an attempt to bury the donkey decided to throw dirt into the well.  Every bucket he threw in the well, the donkey stepped on top of and didn't allow the dirt to cover him up.  Soon the donkey was at the top of the well and walked out. In life we have two choices.  We can either take the situations that the Lord has sent our way, use is as a stepping stone or allow it to bury us. But this is not the Lords desire for our lives.  Mat 12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  The word "Fall" means to be "entrapped by, or be overwhelmed with".  The phrase "lift it out"  means "to cause to rise". The Lord desires to lift us out of the pit that we sometimes get into. We need to begin to use our situations as a stepping stone.

There are times that we feel like we are in a bottomless pit.  Like there is no point of return.   Rev 9:1  "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit". God has a key to this pit.  We may feel that this pit is so deep that there is no flooring at all.  If you have to build your foundation on air, the Word can stand up on air.  He is Spirit you know.

Isa 28:16  "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste". Jesus is that CHIEF CORNERSTONE, THE WORD OF LIFE.  1Co 3:11  "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ". It is time that we return to our first love, JESUS CHRIST!  We are to lay this foundation in our lives and build upon it.  1Ti 6:19  "Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life".

Let's talk a moment about pits.  When you are in a pit that is up to your knees, you might be able to jump out of it with very little effort.  But every time we take a stand against the Truth of the Word, we take a block of the foundation out from under us and the pit gets deeper.  When you are in a pit that is shoulder deep, it takes more effort to get out.  You have to use your arms (another member of the body) to help lift you out of the pit.  Your ability to move around is impaired.  You don't have the freedom you once had. When the pit is over your head, you not only need someone else to help you get out, you also may require divine intervention.  The light isn't as bright as it used to be when you are in over your head.  You don't see very well because the light is obscured by the darkness around you.  You are only able to focus on yourself and sometimes you can't even see yourself for who you are. There are times that the pit is a very dark place. But you must remember, if you have fallen in this pit, and refuse to ask for help, others may never even know you are there.  We need to humble ourselves and as Jas 5:16 says "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much".  Remember Jas 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble".

What is your pit?  What has you surrounded that you are unable to look around you.  What foundation are you standing on in the bottom of your pit?  Is this foundation built by you?  Is your foundation Pride, arrogance, unforgiveness, bitterness, jealousy? Are you able to look out of your surroundings? Or are you closed in by the walls of your pit.  Are you unable to ask others for help?  The deeper you go into the pit, the darker it gets. Sunlight seems but a dim light far far away. But no matter how dark it is, you always have a sure foundation that you can build upon.  Throw in your bucket of the WORD and take a step up.   Sometimes when we are in the pit, it feels like we will never get out. But by faith, grab hold of the WORD of Truth and stand upon it.  Take another step up!  Begin to throw your bucket of the Word into your pit and allow it to raise you above those things that you see (or can't see).  We must use the Word to build a foundation that will cause us to rise out of the ditch. Praise God, if we fill that ditch with the Word, we will have a sure foundation to step out of the ditch on.  Begin to read the WORD and declare what GOD says about you instead of what this world proclaims about you.  Every bit of Gods WORD that you use as a rock is one that you can put under your feet and use as a STEPPING STONE out of your pit.

When we dig a ditch we fall into it.  But, praise God, if we fill that ditch with the Word, we will have a sure foundation to step out of the ditch on.  We have to use the Word to build a foundation that will cause us to rise out of the ditch. The farmer's donkey fell into the well.  The farmer in an attempt to bury the donkey decided to throw dirt into the well.  Every bucket he threw in the well, the donkey stepped on top of and didn't allow the dirt to cover him up.  Soon the donkey was at the top of the well and walked out.

What are you going to do about your pit today? If you are in a pit that you can't see out of today, you can confess your faults and need for help. Find some rocks to step out of the hole on.