Casandra Martin

Sometimes the world presses in hard. The darkness closes in, drowning out the light, leaving us feeling like we are suffocating. We are trapped. Trapped by circumstances. Trapped by our own choices. Trapped by another’s bad decisions. Just trapped. When we are trapped, it feels like the walls are closing in. Fear rises, hope fails, as our hearts beat wildly in our chests as we search for a way of escape. Satan is an expert at drawing lines around our hearts, creating boundaries in places where the truth is meant to set us free.

There is a desperateness to the sixth stanza of Psalm 119. In the midst of taunts and shame, the psalmist turns to God’s Word for hope and assurance. The Bible reveals God’s truth in a world that is filled with lies. God’s Word offers grace when we are confronted with nothing but guilt and shame. His voice whispers hope for those who are trapped. His words are powered by love, illuminated by truth, and echo with His faithfulness.

“And I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.” (Psalm 119:45) Do you see it? When we seek His face, devote ourselves to His Word, and delight in His commands, the result is that we walk in a wide place. Imagine expansive vistas. Open spaces. Freedom to run, jump, dance, sit still. Room to breathe. Room to breathe in His grace and exhale praise. No more being suffocated. No more being trapped. His Word is the key that opens the door to freedom.

My Jesus Resolution today is to rest in the wide open spaces of God’s mercy. Sometimes I do feel trapped, like there’s no way out, but the key to full release is in His Book. My circumstances may not change. I may have to walk through dark times. But I don’t have to feel trapped. In His presence, there is hope, healing, and room to let go of fear and embrace joy.