Week 23: Trapped
Weekly Chapters:
Job 13-42
Passage of the Week:
Job 16, 17, 18
Verb:
1. Caught in a trap; ensnared
2. Caught by stratagem, deceit, or trickery.
Thesaurus:
Caught
Stuck
Cornered
Back against a wall
Snared
Father God,
I often feel trapped, trapped by my life, choices, and who I am in the world. Lord, guide me to confront these feelings, and let Your wisdom surround me.
Amen
Authentic vulnerability:
I do feel trapped sometimes. And honestly, all due to my choices and my selfishness. My blessings are my biggest traps. I think this way when the world feels like it is closing in on me—too many pressures, too many responsibilities. Here go my selfish, self-centered look at my traps/blessings.
1. A job I do not enjoy—could I change it? Yes, but as the primary breadwinner, that means a significant change in our lifestyle.
2. My marriage—yes, I said it, I put it down on paper, I expect the worst for this one as I never verbalize it, but my husband, who loves me and is my greatest cheerleader, can sometimes drive me nuts.
3. My kids—yup, said that one too. Now that they are older, I feel this less so than when they were little, and I felt like I had to be everything to everyone.
4. My Mother in Law who lives with us going on 20 years.
In reality, all of these are blessings that most people would be grateful for, and here I feel trapped by them. How selfish can I be?
What is your Authentic Truth?
Study:
We see Job feeling great depression and woe; we see him trapped by his circumstances in Job 16, 17, and 19. He cries out and talks about what he has done right and not done wrong. Job had his blessings stripped away, and he wanted to die, to leave this world, to run away from his current circumstances. Job began to question God, to question his blessings and his gifts.
In Job’s lament, he was chastised by his friends, saying that Job must have done something wrong. Bad things do not happen to good people. But we know this is not true.
We often see that in life, things happen. We lose a parent, we lose a job, we experience loss of income or livelihood. We feel there is nowhere to turn and we feel trapped by our circumstances.
At the end of Job, God speaks. God says we have no clue about his ways, God’s direction, how the earth works, and God’s plan for our lives.
We are here for a reason, and we need to trust in God and God’s plan for our lives. Our feeling trapped in the temporary and means that we do not yet understand the greater plan that God has for our lives.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,“ says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Father God,
Your plan is higher than my understanding. Give me the power to see Your plan and to be patient and trust in You when the plan is not immediately recognizable. Give me the trust I require in maturity and the wisdom to see blessings as blessings and not traps.
Amen.
Homework:
· If you feel trapped in your life, look at what you think is trapping you. Is it your blessing overflowing like mine? Is it the lessons you are to learn?
· Write them down and pray on them. Pray that God gives you the wisdom to see through your current situation, why you are in the right place at the right time, and ask God to help you trust in his wisdom.
· If you have feelings of hopelessness and depression, seek professional help as you are not in this alone.
