Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Do you ever feel like you're a captive, like you can't get out of your own mind? Maybe you're captive to a situation, or an addiction, or a struggle, and all you want to do is be able to set yourself free, but it just feels like nothing's ever going to change. I know that's not a fun feeling, and it can be overwhelming trying to find a solution for it.
The Israelites in Captivity
The idea of being a captive is so terrifying, and it makes me think of the Israelites in the Bible when they were captive, specifically in the city of Babylon. We read in the book of Isaiah about their time in captivity, and how much hope they were losing and how fast they were losing it. The prophet Isaiah comes and he speaks on behalf of the Lord to bring hope and comfort back to the people.
I want to read with you today from the book of Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 25. The prophet speaking on behalf of the Lord says, "To whom will you compare Me? Who is My equal?" asks the Holy One.
Turning Our Eyes Back to the Lord
During one of their hardest struggles, the prophet Isaiah doesn't come and tell them that they're going to solve their problems. He doesn't tell them that they're going to muster up their own strength. He doesn't come with this big battle plan. He does the most important thing that we can do when we're feeling captive: turning our eyes away from our problems and back on to the Lord.
I love what Isaiah does throughout this chapter. It's broken out into two sections. The first thing Isaiah does is he reminds the people that God offers them comfort in their captivity, that God is going to come and He's going to be with His people, that their suffering is going to come to an end, that it won't always be like this.
God's Power to Set Us Free
Maybe you're like me, and you lean on the side of pessimism and think, well, sure, that sounds nice, but is it actually going to happen? I've been through plenty of struggles where I felt like I was losing hope, and I had loved ones who genuinely cared about me come and say, "It's going to be okay. The season's going to end eventually. You'll get through this struggle." I was just sitting there asking myself, is that true? Is it actually going to end?
That's why, in the second half of the chapter, the prophet Isaiah comes in and he reminds the people of the Lord's incredible strength and power. He poses so many great questions. I encourage you to just go read the chapter to see that the Lord is the One who poured the oceans. The Lord is the one who knows the weight of the earth. The Lord created all things, and who could compare to Him? Who could possibly match Him in power and strength and glory and magnificence?
See, when we're in captivity, it's really easy to look at the thing that's holding us captive. The closer that is, the bigger it's going to feel. We have to remind ourselves that God comforts us in those moments, in those seasons. But He also has the strength and power to release us from them.
What's Holding You Captive?
Ask yourself, what's holding you captive right now? What do you feel like just won't let you go? What are you not willing to let go of? Just remember that God is bigger than that. God is powerful and so He cares enough about you to say, hey, it's going to be okay. He's powerful enough to actually make that offer a reality for you. Give it up to Him. Trust in Him now and believe that He has given you the keys to freedom, so that you might walk with Him forever.