I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older or maybe it’s because I am looking more deeply at life, connecting with others, but my friends are dealing with hard things. Sometimes life’s circumstances feel like the bars of a jail cell, blocking the truth and distracting our focus. These bars are restrictive, ugly, confining, and suffocating. Yet, there is hope beyond these bars.
Isaiah 61:1-3 is one of my favorite passages and reminds me of the powerful freedom God gives us:
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
The truth is, God does not want us to live in these prisons. He wants us to live in freedom and light. Philippians encourages us:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
The calm we seek is found in Jesus. Psalm 145:
Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
I’m not saying that life will be easy. Jesus himself said that we would have trouble:
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Whatever trouble you are facing, bring it to Jesus. Lift your eyes to the one who calms the storms.
Luke 8:24
They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.
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