Freedom

Last week during the Tham Luang cave rescue I was glued to my Twitter feed! Maybe you were too as the rescue plan unfolded to save 13 lives trapped deep inside a cave. Different aspects of the story captivated my attention from the emotional connection that comes from being a father and a coach to the practical side of the sheer logistical scale it would take to free the boys. After much collaboration the rescue team executed the final plan that would save all 13 lives at the cost of one courageous diver. No doubt the hand of God was upon all involved and I can’t begin to image the joy on both the boys and parents’ faces when they were reunited at last! 18 days in a cave must have been an eternity! 

There’s no way that I can relate to the physical and mental trauma these boys experienced being trapped in a cave. What I can relate to are those times in my life when I end up in a place I never intended to be with seemingly no way out. Can you relate? Maybe it was one bad decision or a series of bad decisions and before we know it we’re trapped with nowhere to turn?  

So what can we do when we find ourselves on the backside of a decision that leaves us feeling trapped? There’s a few general principles that I’ve found to be true.

Take responsibility for our actions. The natural tendency is to continue digging deeper but there always comes a point when we hit the impenetrable wall. At some point the path forward is going to involve owning our mistakes and moving toward a preferred future. Owning a mistake isn’t fun or easy but it’s the necessary decision point to get things going in a better direction.

Lean into others. Again, the natural tendency when I make a mistake is to isolate from others leading to cycles of shame and guilt. I can over analyze, develop false narratives, or find myself paralyzed to move forward. I’m a firm believer that God created us for community and finding a place we can be authentically known is vital for navigating mistakes and even better as a safeguard against bad decisions. 

Call in the experts. Sometimes we find ourselves trapped to the extent we need an expert to help us navigate a way out. Just like the soccer team, we can find ourselves in a place it’s going to take someone with the skills and resources to help us find a solution. I’ve found myself in situations before that I’ve needed a biblical counselor to help me navigate a way forward and thankfully we live in an area where many churches make counseling accessible. If we have a hurt or hang up that is a constant struggle, biblical counseling is a powerful tool God can use to help! 

I know we’re all thrilled the Wild Boar soccer team has successfully been rescued and they’ll have quite the story to tell! I’m also thankful we have a loving God that’s a rescuer at heart and spares no expense to rescue us! The Christian faith believes that apart from Jesus we’re all trapped in sin, but (and it’s a big but) God sent His son to set us free! If we’re feeling trapped today whether from decisions or just the situation of life, freedom is available. Our ultimate freedom is found in a person, Jesus Christ. He did for us what we couldn’t do on our own, taking sin upon Himself, to connect us with God. True freedom!