sloughofdespond

Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond alone; but still he endeavoured to struggle to that side of the Slough that was still further from his own house, and next to the Wicket-gate; the which he did, but could not get out, because of the burden that was upon his back: But I beheld in my dream, that a man came to him, whose name was Help, and asked him, What he did there?

Christian: Sir, said Christian, I was bid go this way by a man called Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder Gate, that I might escape the wrath to come; and as I was going thither, I fell in here.

Help: But why did you not look for the steps?

Christian: Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way, and fell in.

Help: Then said he, "Give me thy hand": so he gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him go on his way.

Then I stepped to him that plucked him out, and said, "Sir, wherefore, since over this place is the way from the City of Destruction to yonder Gate, is it that this plat is not mended, that poor travellers might go thither with more security?" And he said unto me, "This miry Slough is such a place as cannot be mended; it is the descent whither the scum and filth that attends conviction for sin doth continually run, and therefore it is called the Slough of Despond; for still as the sinner is awakened about his lost condition, there ariseth in his soul many fears and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which all of them get together, and settle in this place: And this is the reason of the badness of this ground".

" It is not the pleasure of the King that this place should remain so bad. His labourers also have, by the direction of His Majesty's surveyors, been for above these sixteen hundred years employed about this patch of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended: yea, and to my knowledge, said he, here hath been swallowed up at least twenty thousand cart-loads, yea, millions of wholesome instructions, that have at all seasons been brought from all places of the King's dominions (and they that can tell say they are the best materials to make good ground of the place), if so be it might have been mended, but it is the Slough of Despond still, and so will be when they have done what they can.

True, there are by the direction of the Lawgiver, certain good and substantial steps, placed even through the very midst of this Slough; but at such time as this place doth much spue out its filth, as it doth against change of weather, these steps are hardly seen; or if they be, men through the dizziness of their heads, step besides; and then they are bemired to purpose, notwithstanding the steps be there; but the ground is good when they are once got in at the Gate."

Pliable back home with his Neighbors

Now I saw in my dream, that by this time Pliable was got home to his house again. So his Neighbors came to visit him: and some of them called him wise man for coming back, and some called him fool for hazarding himself with Christian: others again did mock at his cowardliness; saying, "Surely since you began to venture, I would not have been so base to have given out for a few difficulties". So Pliable sat sneaking among them. But at last he got more confidence, and then they all turned their tales, and began to deride poor Christian behind his back. And thus much concerning Pliable.

Interpretation:

The Christian reaches this miry slough as he does not follow the footsteps of his Master. This slough contains only a mire of distrust and fear. You may be in this state as you have not received the answers to your prayers or the prayers of intercession made by some servant of God. You did fall into this slough as you had not bothered to see the Christ of the Song of Solomon. But your sins and iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)

Even if you tell the other Christians that you are bound for the Celestial City and do not want to make this world as your permanent home, they would mock at you calling you a fool.

Christian was bidden to go this way by Evangelist, who directed him to yonder Gate, that he might escape the wrath to come; and as Christian was going thither, he fell in there. In the Pilgrim's Progress, the Evangelist guides the Christian at every critical stage till he reaches the Celestial City. Nowadays, we hardly find any such evangelist in our midst who constantly guide us towards the Celestial City. Modern evangelists just make use of the souls reached by them for promoting their ministries.

Help asked the Christian to look for the steps. But since fear followed the Christian so hard, that he fled the next way, and fell in. Help gave him his hand, and he drew him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him go on his way.

When you are being distracted by Obstinate and Pliable, God sends you the Evangelist, a true servant of God to exhort you to run towards the yonder Gate.

You fall into the Slough of Despond as you had not looked for the steps leading you to the yonder Gate. It is the despond of confusion and fear as you are unable to unlearn the false doctrines and to learn the truths from the Word of God. Fear should not overwhelm you as you stay in the Slough. God does send you Help to get you out of the Slough. The Holy Spirit does send you a help either through the word of God or through a servant of God on time.

Are you in the Slough of Despond today having been taught by the false teachers who had caused you to deviate from the path leading to the Celestial City? Identify such preachers and flee from them.

Next....Town of Carnal Policy