There are many days when I’m painfully aware of my shortcomings. My thoughts, reactions, feelings, and judgments flow by like sewage. If I dwell on things at all, it’s easy to start drowning in it.

Psalm 40 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:1-2).

My soul is a slimy pit, full of mud and mire. Christ is seated at God’s right hand. Here He has made purification for every sin (Heb. 1:3). In Him our flesh has been crucified, along with its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24). We are raised from the dead and are new creations in Christ (Eph. 2:4-7; Rom. 6:4; 2 Cor. 5:17). We no longer live but Christ lives in us (Gal. 2:20).

Paul urges us to set our minds on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Col. 3:1-3). This is the rock spoken of in Psalm 40, the only firm place to stand.