In what ways can we trust God when feeling "walled in" by trials? Setting the Scene: Feeling “Walled In” “ He has walled me in so that I cannot escape; He has weighed me down with chains.” (Lamentations 3:7) Jeremiah describes a season when God felt distant, circumstances felt crushing, and every path looked blocked. That image—stone walls, no exit—captures how trials can hem us in: a diagnosis, a prodigal child, financial collapse, grief that will not lift. Yet in this same chapter Jeremiah moves from despair to hope (vv. 21-24). His journey shows how we can trust God even when the walls feel unscalable. Why Trust Is Reasonable, Even Behind the Walls • God remains sovereign. “I know that You can do all things; no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2) • His character is constant. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) • He is working good in every circumstance. “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) • He limits the intensity and duration of every trial. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) Lessons From the Walls in Scripture • Joseph’s prison (Genesis 39-41) – Walls could not prevent God’s plan; they positioned Joseph for promotion. • Israel boxed in by the Red Sea (Exodus 14) – A dead end became a stage for God’s power. • Paul under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31) – Chains became a pulpit; letters written in confinement still build the church. Practical Ways to Trust God When Trials Hem You In 1. Rehearse His past faithfulness – Keep a journal of previous answers to prayer; recall them when doubt whispers. 2. Anchor your mind in Scripture – Read Lamentations 3:21-24 aloud: “The LORD’s loving devotion never ceases… great is Your faithfulness!” – Memorize Psalm 31:7-8: “You have set my feet in a spacious place.” 3. Praise before the walls fall – Acts 16:25 shows Paul and Silas singing while still in chains. Praise shifts focus from walls to the Wall-Breaker. 4. Obey the next clear step – Jeremiah kept prophesying; Joseph served faithfully in prison. Do the small, right thing in front of you. 5. Seek godly counsel and fellowship – “Two are better than one… If one falls, the other can lift him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) 6. Pray with expectancy – “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3) 7. Look for God’s provision inside the wall – Even in captivity, Daniel received wisdom, favor, and influence (Daniel 1:17-20). Your limitation may hide hidden manna. Seeing Beyond the Walls Jeremiah’s turning point: “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope…” (Lamentations 3:21). Hope rose not because the walls disappeared but because he remembered: • God’s mercies are new every morning (v. 23). • The LORD is Jeremiah’s portion (v. 24)—walls cannot confiscate God Himself. • “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (v. 26) Waiting is not wasted; it is worshipful trust. Living It Out Today • Start each morning by voicing one attribute of God (e.g., “You are faithful”). • Swap “Why me?” with “What are You forming in me?” • Choose one promise (e.g., Isaiah 41:10) and personalize it throughout the day. • Serve someone else; walls shrink when love flows outward. • End the day listing three evidences of God’s care, however small. The God who allowed the wall is the God who can crumble it—or use it—to display His glory and refine our faith. Trust Him; the walls do not have the last word. |
    |