Breaking Free

I've started an accidental ritual every Tuesday afternoon. While the little ones nap, I fold the laundry in front of the TV, completely captivated by "Hoarders" and "Intervention" on A&E. Then I end up sobbing over my folded piles almost every time. Sometimes I even end up on my knees praying for these people by name. As much as reality TV may have muddled television forever, shows like these have reminded me of a hard reality - these are actual people out there right now struggling with very real problems. And I think that's why I can't stop watching, the battle is something we all can relate to.

Whether it's clutter, addiction, guilt, pornography, money, depression, food, insecurities, or whatever else - we all have things that attempt to control us. They demand our ongoing attention, drain us of our true joy, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and overpowered. Defeated. Hopeless. Stuck.


We all can be pinned down by these strongholds in our lives, some with stronger grips than others. And when you come down to it, the struggle lives in our minds. But what a dangerous place to dwell! The mind can distort and justify all sorts of things, but only we can take back our thoughts and fix them on what it true. And what reassurance we have in knowing that God is so much bigger than all of these things! Even the strongest of addictions or the most overwhelming feelings of despair can not compare to the power of God. I'd love to create a metaphor along the lines of a lamp is hopeless if it doesn't plug into and depend on an ultimate power source, but I don't know squat about electricity. So I'll just let the Word speak for itself:

"We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

...and some of these obstacles can by handled and destroyed instantly, yet others may be a battle each time you wake up for all the days of your life. Also, not one of us is guaranteed to never "relapse."  But God has given us all we need to overcome simply by taking back our thoughts and turning them over to Him. Peeling off the gripping lies one by one and setting our minds on Him, His Power, and His Truth.

 "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." (Romans 8:5)

Your "flesh" may strongly desire power, or alcohol, or possessions, or love in all the wrong places - but only God can set you free from those things and give you abundant life. I've seen it and lived it, and yet am still amazed over the reality of God's transforming power. Let God give you what He desires for you - your freedom.

Whom the Son sets free, is truly free indeed. 

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I don't even know where my life would be,
If you hadn't shown, shown your love towards me
Broke the chains, the chains that were binding me
Gave me liberty, Set me free