Breaking Chains

Breaking chains is a hard thing to do.  It especially hard when your state of mind has always been bondage.  Our Sunday service was amazing.  It was too amazing to put in words.  The Holy Spirit moved throughout and I witnessed grown men crying as we welcomed a new sister into the body of Christ.  She is beautiful inside and out.  She is one of the wisest children I have ever met.  Watching her worship is a blessing.  When asked why she chose this new path she stated, "I don't want to be the boss, I want God to be the boss!"  Such a sweet and honest answer.

This child is not in bondage any longer.  She is set free.  I too was saved as a child, but I am not sure I grasped the meaning of salvation as well as this little one.  I continue to fight with bondage and am only now beginning to realize I am free of guilt and shame. A long road is set before me, but I do not fight alone.  I have been held under the chains of guilt, shame, insecurity, fear, etc. for way too long!  I desire for these chains to be broken.  I cannot break them, but my King can. In fact He has conquered them! 

 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:1-4)


For me, it is learning to accept that grace is a free gift!  It is not something I work for and it is not something I deserve.  I struggle with anxiety and self-comdemnation.  Why do I struggle with these things?  I believe it is because I do not meditate on truth. In his book Gospel in Life, Timothy Keller wrote, "Have you been anxious and worried? Repent by considering the free grace of Jesus until there is no anxious or rash behavior, since Jesus' death proves that God cares and watches over you. Reflect on God's grace until you experience calm thoughtfulness and strategic boldness."

This was taken from Tim Keller's study-guide:

Father, 
Thank you for your grace and mercy.  Thank you for the greatest gift of all.  For we are not set free by our own works, but by the gift of Jesus.  The perfect sacrifice.  I do repent and carefully consider the free grace of Jesus. I pray that I would learn to meditate on Your grace until no anxious thought or rash behaviors would have room to enter in my mind and heart.  Lord, I have other prayers that will go unspoken to the world, regarding those I love, but You know every desire of my heart.  I pray for salvation and sanctification.  It is in the sweet name of Jesus I pray. Amen.