Yesterday’s post was about going to jail and so I thought I would write today about escaping jail. That’s me in the picture above, just about to walk out the door of the jail back into freedom!

When we were touring the Kingston Penitentiary, I found the stories of the escapes and the attempted escapes very interesting.

There was no question in my mind about why anyone would want to escape after having seen the inside of the jail. That was a no-brainer. But in looking at the intense security, the cameras that were everywhere, all of the locked heavy doors, all of the razor wire, barb wire, the very high fences that were then surrounded by a fortress type, cement block wall that had armed guards on top in turret style lookouts, one thing was very clear – the place was specifically designed to prevent escape.

And yet, for all of the designing, planning, and security measures that were in place, people still tried to escape and some of them even succeeded in escaping.

My best guess would be that in order to escape from a prison like that, one would have to be fiercely dedicated to planning, strategizing and executing any escape attempt. I would also guess that there would be many prisoners who would look at their surroundings and just resign themselves to the situation they were in.

Why does this matter?

I have become painfully aware that one strategy of the enemy of my soul is to make me feel like I’m in solitary confinement – meaning, that I’m all on my own, no one else has been through what I’m going through, and no one else would ever understand what I’m going through.

It’s a prison that he masterfully designs with each cell unique to the prisoner that he wants to hold captive. He makes it seem that escape is impossible and convinces us that speaking out and asking for help will make us look foolish, and so those who resign themselves to the situation suffer in silence.

Whether it’s something we are ashamed of in our own lives, an illness or disease that we’ve been diagnosed with that’s seemingly rare, or a huge hurt in our lives, your enemy will try to use whatever he can to make you feel isolated and alone.

However, that prison of isolation he’s designed is all a deception; it is just smoke and mirrors.

First of all, there is always someone else who has at least some idea of what you’re going through and can empathize with you.  The challenge is in finding that person and sometimes the situation is sensitive and not one that a person wants to be widely known. Using discretion in who you speak with and trusting that they won’t ‘spill the beans’ on you to other people is very important.

Secondly, sometimes it’s our own pride that keeps the door to our prison of isolation locked up tight. We don’t want anyone to think less of us, or we might be embarrassed if people knew and so we bury our hurt and situations as deep as we can praying that no one ever finds out.

When we’ve made our own prison, it likely wasn’t a prison we were designing at the beginning. This type of prison usually starts as a defensive move, to put up a wall or barricade to protect ourselves from further hurt. However, after a while, it becomes a prison cell and escaping can seem impossible.

The key to freedom from prisons like these is first, wanting to escape and secondly, finding someone to talk to that you can trust.  I’ve been there.  I started by praying for help in choosing the right person and then with much fear and trepidation I was able to unlock the door and walk out of my prison cell, free at last from a prison I never belonged in to begin with.

Interestingly, when we were touring the jail in Kingston we found this written above the door on the inside of one of the cells.

Why am I bothering to write this post?

In the short time that this blog has been online, and I’ve been brave enough to share a few of the things that I’ve gone through or am going through, I have been contacted by enough people who have been reading what I’m writing to realize that there are a lot of people who feel trapped and some people who feel like they are prisoners don’t know that they hold the key to their cells.

Remember this?

It’s true in that all you need to do is ask God for help and then be willing to take the steps to get to a place of healing.

In John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” And in John 8:36 Jesus says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Your freedom has been purchased and your healing has been provided through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Whatever we’re going through, remember, not one of us is alone. In Joshua 1:5b God is speaking and He says, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jeremiah 29:11 says this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God has a good plan for your life.  What you may view as a setback may very well be God working a setup for your future.

Don’t give up. Press on and press forward. Freedom is one choice away.