Ok, so I know that looks like a ring on a finger, but that's actually a bracelet on my wrist, haha. I got this amazing bracelet this morning for Easter. As soon as I opened up the box I split the eardrums of my entire family. Why was I so excited you ask? This is more than just a simple bracelet that says "Forever". At first glance, that is what it appears to be, but the meaning behind it is so much more. If you've read any of my past blogs you've gathered that I LOVE books, and one of my favorite series is the Christy Miller series by Robin Jones Gunn. OK, just stick with me, this isn't just gonna be some kind of nerdy girl, book thing. This bracelet really does have LOTS of meaning! So, stay with me here! Seriously, don't move! Please.
In this book series, Todd gave Christy the bracelet pictured above and told her that their friendship would last Forever. Whenever Christy looked at her bracelet, it reminded her of an even deeper love. She knew that God was with her at all times, and no matter what happened, His love for her would last Forever.
Since my Mommy & Daddy gave this to me it's a little bit different. :) You can probably see where I'm going with this. This bracelet is my reminder that I have an everlasting father who is my FOREVER Friend! Sure, I have lots of friends, and super close besties, but none of those relationships are guaranteed, no matter how sure we are of the depth of the friendship. God's love & promises do not return void. There's no expiration date. His love is FOREVER!
In a world where life is a rush, and the culture is rapidly changing, having that One Thing that you know you can always count on to stay the same gives you a sense of peace that you wouldn't be able to attain on your own. Trust me. I've tried many times to just be at peace without spending time in my Bible, praying, etc. and WOW, IT DOESN'T WORK! Whenever I'm able to get out all the different feelings and emotions that I've been battling with, and just put them out in the open for God, or someone to pray for me, I feel so much better. Letting my problems out makes me feel so much more at peace, because I'm no longer trying to carry all my burdens by myself, God has them. I then don't only feel peace, but an insurmountable joy as well! I feel like I can breathe easier, and I can live again. Sometimes I don't realize how much stuff I've allowed to chain me down and hinder me from living life to God's fullest until I'm free from it.
Last night I was at a worship night with about 10 other people around my age, and I was sitting there with the worship music washing over me, as I looked at my Bible concordance. As I read down the list of topics, one word struck my attention. Freedom. I started thinking, hmmm, freedom, do I feel free? If I'm free why do I always feel hindered? Why am I so shy that sometimes I just want to go hide in a hole at social events when I feel like I'm meant to be a stinkin' on fire for God, bold witness for Christ? Why am I always so stressed to the point where I just want to curl up in a ball, pull my hair out, and cry until my life is over? That doesn't sound like freedom to me. No sir-ree!
I began to look up all the verses that talked about freedom. I figured there had to be some sort of solution that would diminish these feelings and fears that were eating me on the inside.
"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free...so if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:31, 36
"For FREEDOM in Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yolk of slavery... For you were called to FREEDOM, brothers. Only do not use your FREEDOM as an opportunity for the flesh; but through love serve one another."
Galations 5:1, 13
"Now the Lord is the spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is FREEDOM.
2 Cornithians 3:17
These are some pretty powerful verses! The last one is my favorite. As I looked up each of these verses I wrote them down in my journal. I titled the page, "Freedom In Christ". I'm pointing out the title to you, because I want to make it clear that the key is freedom in CHRIST! Not freedom by the world standards. They think that just because you don't have physical chains binding you that you are FREE! If you live inAfter I wrote these down I began to pace back in forth in the room, praying about a BOATLOAD of stuff. You may be thinking, "Uh yeah, I don't know how you people can go on for ages with seemingly non-stop prayer, because, ya know, I pray for my family, friends, ya know the basics, and then I'm done, I don't know what else to say..." I'm here to tell you that EVERYONE has dealt with this. Even your pastor. Do you know what I do, when I come to a pause in my prayer and can't think of anything else? I either just sit in silence, or I do something that is pretty powerful, I turn those verses that we just read into a prayer. I speak them over myself. YOUR WORDS HAVE POWER!
For example:
"Freedom in You, God, has set me free; I will stand firm and I will not submit to a yolk of slavery. I am called to more than that, I am called to freedom. I will not use my freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love I will serve those around me."
It's as simple as that! Sometimes I even repeat it over and over again.
You don't have to continue struggling in slavery. Freedom is just a prayer away. I'm not saying that you won't still struggle with those same things after you pray about it. I'm saying that you won't struggle alone. Like I said at the beginning, God is your Forever Friend! He's always there, whether you feel Him or not!
I will leave you with this verse that's engraved on the back of my bracelet.
