You’re Not Crazy — You’re Trapped

Have you ever looked around at your life and thought, "Something just doesn’t feel right"? I know I do nearly everyday, but that's because I'm still adjusting to life in the southern hemisphere. But seriously...

You’re not crazy.

You’re trapped.

The truth is, most of us are living inside systems we didn’t create—systems of cultural expectation, moral compromise, financial pressure and emotional trauma. And because nearly everyone around us is trapped too, it all feels normal. It feels familiar. It even feels like connection: “This is just the way life is.”

But under the surface, something inside of us aches. We see that the very things we were taught to chase — social acceptance, morality, financial security — have become burdens we can barely carry. We work longer hours for money that buys less. We compromise our standards in relationships because selfishness and betrayal are “just part of the game.” We lug around emotional wounds just like everyone else.

And over time, we stop dreaming about real freedom. We just try to survive.

Jesus saw this too.

When He preached the Sermon on the Mount, He wasn’t offering spiritual niceties. He was breaking apart the foundations of a broken world. Over and over He said, "You have heard it said... but I say unto you..."

He wasn’t simply adjusting behavior — He was exposing an entire system built on fear, pride, and self-preservation.

History says that he was very popular among the average folk. Maybe because, deep down, they knew something was wrong. They just didn’t have the words for it. Until He spoke.

Jesus didn’t pretend life wasn’t hard. He never told people to just "try harder" or "fit in better." Instead, He proclaimed: "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

He understood the invisible burden the system places on human souls—the emotional exhaustion, the mental isolation, the corrupt moral incentives.

And He came not just to expose it, but to destroy it. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

"The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil."

That’s the hope.

You’re not crazy for feeling the strain. You’re not broken beyond repair. You’re not stuck forever. You’re trapped in a system that was designed to wear you out — but Jesus came to break that system’s hold on you.

The world will tell you, "This is just how it is. Everyone’s playing the same game. Keep your head down and do what you have to do."

But Jesus offers something radically different: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

You don't have to stay trapped. You don’t have to keep chasing a broken dream. You don’t have to live as a quiet prisoner of survival.

There is another way — a freer, lighter, fuller way — but it requires new priorities, a new kind of courage, and a new mindset (a Winning Mind).

It starts with seeing clearly and stepping toward the life Jesus promises.

You’re not crazy. You’re trapped. And Jesus came to set you free.

Challenge for Today

Take 3 quiet minutes and ask yourself honestly:

• Where am I surviving instead of living?

• What "normal" part of my life bothers me, and perhaps, could be where I'm trapped?

Write it down. Name it. Bring it to Him.

Freedom starts with seeing the truth — and trusting the One who came to set you free.

If we can change our minds, we can change our life.