Psalm 142:7
Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise your name. The righteous shall surround me, for you shall deal bountifully with me.
Life has a way of closing in on us. Circumstances can drive us to create personal prisons where we feel isolated and trapped. There have been many times when I felt like I was stranded on an island, separated from a world that didn't understand me or what I was feeling. In those moments I feel so...alone. And then I get comfortable being...alone.
One day as I spent time in prayer the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart, "Why are you choosing to stay on an island of your own making when I have been sending rescue boats?"
I realized that my feeling of isolation, and my growing comfort in it, had become self-imposed. God's desire for me was to look up and look out, understanding that He did not create me to "do life alone". He had, in fact, surrounded me with righteous, loving people who cared about me and I could wholly trust in their holy friendship.
I often hear people say that it is hard to get connected in a church, but I have found that connection is a personal choice. Opportunities are everywhere if you look hard enough, but isolation is easy when looking gets hard. We will often choose easy over hard.
That may sting a little if you currently feel disconnected from a community, but understand that emotional prison cells are often locked from the inside.
If this describes your isolastion then make Psalm 142:7 the focus of your prayer today. It will drive you to look up and look around at all the goodness God has surrounded you with. Ask for God to give you eyes to see the people, the church, and the community that is available to you. Then ask for God to give you strength to unlock the personal prison cell and step out in faith. Don't isolate yourself, my friend. The world is waiting for you.
Josh
Josh Huisman is the senior pastor of New Hope Community Church in Brentwood, TN.
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