Serving out of the pit to get out of the pit!

"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." John 13:1-5
Jesus knew His trial was near and He rose and served, laying aside His outer garments, preparing to wash the feet of His disciples. What a beautiful picture of selflessness, setting aside your own "problems" and meeting the need of another. It was an act of Love, demonstrating how we too should respond in the face of pending trials.
Serving others is not a natural instinct for us. We live in a world that screams "Each man for himself!!" We get so wrapped up in our own little circumstances, fretting and stressing about our situation that we tend to drown out the world and focus inward, hearing our thoughts alone. When we are in times of uncertainty, we conserve, hoard, protect, and even shut down, emotionally and physically. Trials drain us and distract us from the needs of others. Satan knows how to quickly quiet us. Nothing like a raging storm for us to take shelter within. It's then that we have a choice, to shut down and close out the world or rise up and continue to serve. Time after time, Christ rose up, gave and served, walking on the water of the storm, rescuing others from the pit! Gracious I Am.
I faced this in a big way several years ago when I went through a season of fear and anxiety. All I could hear was fear. Fear consumed and drowned out the rest of my world. Looking back on those days, I realize how much time and energy I used trying to figure out my thoughts and what to do next. The more I sat and tried to understand what was going in my crazy heart and soul, the more I slipped into a pit of depletion and despair. Day by day, my world grew smaller and smaller as I slowly shut down, emotionally and physically. It was a vicious cycle of trying to control was out of my control. Fearing the lack of control only caused me to fall deeper and deeper into my pit of despair, uncertainty and doubt.
One day, my precious and Godly Aunt called me and as we were talking all I could say was, "I just don't know what to do, I don't know what to do. I can't live like this." She said to me, "Michele, you have got to stop sitting around and thinking. Get out and volunteer, serve others. It will do you good to get out of the house and stop listening to yourself." I wondered how in the world will I be able to do that when I cannot even hardly help my self, and even my family. My thoughts were scrambled, my heart took my breath away at each racing palpitation and I had nothing left to give.
Well, she began praying for me to gain the energy and focus to get outside of myself and live!! Amazingly (that I was able to), yet not surprisingly (that God showed up), I got outside. I rose up, took off the old garment and grabbed a new towel and began to serve. He was the strength in my weakness. It was nourishment to my dry and weary soul. It felt good to stop dwelling in my dwelling. I admit that it began simply as a desperate act to keep myself busy and distracted. Soon, however, I began to feel life, peace and joy. His grace gave and was sufficient.
Eventhough my trial remained, I found how to choose love over fear, ultimately life over death. It was not easy. I fought for every day to be a good day. I fought against every instinct to shut down. I fought to replace each thought of fear with hope. Surrendering to God does not equate to easiness. Surrendering to God equates to obedience which equates to blessing and blessings give peace, strength, hope. I had to choose to rise up and stop sitting down. 
Jesus came to seek and save. He came to serve, so that God the Father would be glorified. Jesus faced many trials before His ultimate trial and through each one, He served, loved, gave as He lived each day, one day at a time, in The Father's name.
Jesus has risen and washed your feet. Won't you too, follow in His example the next time you face a trial, and rise up, take off your outer garment, grab a towel and "wash the feet of another." Let your heart not be troubled or afraid. He will be your power and strength.
Humbling yourself, serving in Love's name, will bless your heart, mind, soul and spirit like nothing else will. Get outside of yourself. Choose life. Rise up and serve in Jesus' name!

" You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." John 13:13-16 

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." John 14:27

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9