Get in the Pit
By Dee Taylor-Jolley
The story of Benaiah, told in 2 Samuel 23:20-21 is the story of a lion chaser.
While’s he’s a lesser-known warrior in the Bible, Benaiah was renowned for his bravery, loyalty, and exceptional warrior feats. He was from the tribe of Judea with his lineage connecting him to King David’s court. He was one of King David’s “mighty men” – a group of 30 elite warriors known for their courage and exceptional martial skills.
Benaiah’s behavior of chasing a lion into a pit on a snowy day and killing him, symbolizes overcoming extreme adversity by deciding to fight back.
And not just fight back – but take the fight to the enemy!
And the lesson is, we need not cower in the face of adversity but take our fights directly to the enemies. We need to become lion chasers like Benaiah!
What?! Why would I want to do that?!!!
Because…
Anxiety is everywhere. It’s a natural emotional response characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease about future outcomes.
While we all experience anxiety from time to time, persistent and excessive anxiety can interfere with our daily activities and can even become an anxiety disorder, like constant worry, restlessness, increased heart rate, sweating, or muscle tension. And that’s why I love yoga…it's so calming to my muscles.
The constant connectivity of our cell phones and social media can leave us feeling overwhelmed. And, of course, there’s the “fear of missing out (FOMO)."
There’s no job security, competition is high, longer working hours, financial instability, political instability and climate change…and the list just goes on and on and on and on. I’m exhausted just thinking about it!
So, what should we do?
Shrink? Cower? Wait for circumstances to change? NO!
Inspired by that outrageous, yet courageous act of Benaiah, we should adopt his mindset.
Author, Mark Batterson wrote a wonderful book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. This book is a metaphor for how we need to navigate adversity right now.
His theme is that our greatest regret at the end of our lives is that we did not chase enough lions! On our death bed, will we look back with disappointment at the risks we didn’t take, the opportunities we chose not to seize, and the dreams we didn’t pursue?
Batterson says “We all face lions of some sort in our lives.” These lions come in the form of life-changing decisions, career moves, and economic opportunities or losses. “Jump in the pit with the lion and tackle it head on,” is his demand.
So here’s the mindset we need to make that happen:
- Unlearn our fears
- Overcome adversity
- Embrace uncertainty
- Calculate the risks
- Seize the opportunities
- Defy the odds
- Be willing to look foolish.
Who’s willing to jump in the pit with me?
Yes, I’m scared. But…
I’m going to use prayer, meditation, and reflecting on past achievements to gather my courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to move forward despite my fear.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I’ll look for the smallest sign of hope, a kind word, or pleasant gesture to keep me going.
I will not isolate myself from family and friends. I’ll seek a mentor for business, and a prayer partner for my spiritual support.
I will decide to see my struggles as stepping stones to build my character, my discipline, my persistence, my determination, and my grace under pressure.
I will not cower! Come join me!
