Bringing calamity on yourself

In Jeremiah 2:17 the question is asked of Gods chosen people who had turned their backs on God and turned to idols and Even returned to lands of slavery like Egypt and to the vilest of their enemies, the Assyrians, as to whether or not they brought this calamity on themselves.  Why? They lacked fear of the LORD. They brought their calamity on themselves. I say that to say that I've studied a lot about pits in scripture and could go on into a 5 paragraph essay but I won't. Anyway, in Gods mercy we can  be different. He can and will deliver us from a slimy pit that we either jumped into or someone pushed us in. I love what Chuck Swindoll says when speaking of the life of Paul and how we tend to forget his gruesome past toward people of the way. Swindoll says, "The steel of greatness is forged in the pit.  It's true of all of us. Don't ever forget that, especially when you're in the pit and are convinced there's no way anything of value will come of it." God so rich in mercy is still in the business of rebuilding the ruins, bringing beauty from the ashes and also using our worst moments to help snatch others from the flames and even use our greatest failures and departures for His glory even if the school of hard knocks was not the way to go.  Until He calls you home, He has plans for you. You aren't done. Wrestle the thing out with God so that mans opinion fades and you are liberated and no longer the same. 

Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God, when he led you in the way? (Jeremiah 2:17 ESV)

#jennyisms