Feeling Trapped

"He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps."

Psalm 40:2

In Bible days, pits were dug to trap enemies as well as carnivorous animals. The pit was a horrible place, because it was a trap for the prey waiting for death. There was simply no way out of the pit without help from above. All the victim could do was to cry out for help. Probably, none of us will find ourselves in a real pit, but the circumstances of life can often trap us. We have that helpless feeling when trapped. There is only one thing to do, call out for help. Sometime, we become so helpless that only God can set us free. The psalmist wrote, "I waited patiently for the LORD, and He inclined to me, and He heard my cry" (Psalm 40:1).

A certain man had so many problems that he felt totally helpless. He said to a friend, "I've looked in every direction to get out of the trouble in my life. I don't know what to do." His friend said, "When you look in every direction for help and there is none, there is only one place left to look. Look up. God is your only way out." Believe it or not, being helplessly trapped in life can turn into a great blessing. It just may be the place where we discover that God will hear the voice of our cry.

Is there a helpless area in your life today? I certainly hope not, but if so, there is a God who hears our calls for help. Don't be reluctant to call upon Him in prayer. Oh, there's one more important thing to remember. After you call upon Him, don't forget to wait patiently for the LORD. Just because He doesn't respond immediately is no sign that He has not heard you. He is at work in ways we know not. From the pit, we can't see what is going on above. When we feel trapped, there is One who hears our cries for help.

LORD, we need Your help in life. Teach us to wait patiently for Your help, knowing that You hear our cries through Christ Jesus. Amen.