Author | Vivian Rice |
It was dark, just dark. Not black, not shadowy, not ebony, only darkness. I stretched a thin, frail hand out, feeling a wall in front of me.
In front, in the back, on top, right, left, everywhere. There was nowhere for me to go. Shifting my legs, the metallic chains around my wrists and ankles groaned in protest. How had I let myself become trapped in this cage and chains imprison me? A more accurate question would probably be WHY.
I had watched my father drown in the waves of depression, watched my sister shut behind the bars of her façade. So many of my friends had chains connected to balls of misery, pain, and grief. I had several heavy weights tethered to me. Relationships. Stress. Expectations. Schools grades, just to name a few.
Ah. They’re so heavy. Freedom. That would be nice. But there’s no way. I’ll be stuck inside this dark blind prison for eternity.
I should have listened to my grandmother. She did warn me. Why didn’t I listen to her?
With a heavy sigh, I closed my eyes wearily. “I wish I could be free. Why can’t I be free? Why won’t someone help me?” I asked into the darkness, knowing fully that no one would hear my pleas.
Suddenly, a great burst of light filled my vision; it seemed to come from above. My feeble hand reached upwards, trying to touch the light. A golden key emerged from the light, and my eyes greedily stared at it.
“Almost…” I whispered, fingering the key.
A bible was connected to the key, but that wasn’t my main focus. Instead, I kept grasping for the key, trying to catch it into my hand.
Ah, but who was I kidding? I was fooling myself; there’s no way that key could unlock my chains and imprisonments. My hand returned to its spot next to my weak body, and my gaze shifted back to the ground. The light lingered for a few more minutes before it fizzled out.
I knew it. It wasn’t real; it was just a fake promise of hope and happiness. Curling up, I sat there in the darkness, inside my prison and chained to the weights and worries of life. The slap of reality stung harder than anything I’d ever felt before.
The depth and truth of my situation were nearly crushing. I wasn’t ever going to be free from these chains of stress and expectations. I wasn’t ever going to leave this tiny box of imprisonment.
I was stuck here for eternity.
“Freedom,” I scoffed darkly and mockingly.
Was there such a thing?
The short story above is a reality for many people who feel trapped in a box, and can’t ever be free. The picture is an illustration of that feeling and truth, and yes, I drew a picture yet again. We all experience times where we think we are attached to a ball and chain of life’s worries. It can be anything that we allow to worry constantly over. More than often, it’s our sin. I’m guilty of this, I’ve let myself be burdened with chains of stress and life’s curveballs. I’m still learning how to trust God with my burdens
The story is about a fictional character who had the opportunity to get out of their little prisoner’s box but believed it was too good to be true. Thus, they let go of the chance to be free. The only real way to be free is through Jesus Christ, to trust and believe in him and to hand your life over to God.
Some people reach up and take the key Jesus offers to unlock their chains. It’s effortless to look up and see the light. Others, like in the illustration, are too busy griping over their woes to even look up. They miss the key Jesus is dangling in front of their faces. My question is, will you lift your eyes to see the promise of grace and love Jesus offers through His Word or will you remain chained to your miseries and in your box of imprisonment?
Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”