I just have to share this devotion I received from Dare To Be – (Natalie Grant & Charlotte Gambill)
*I dare you to let go of what is enslaving you and dragging you down and be free of it all and live in freedom with Christ!
“Truly I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”…
– John 8:34-36 –
Have you ever had a bad habit? Biting your nails, saying hi to Ben & Jerry at 3AM, downing 12 Diet Cokes a day? And come New Years, you resolve that this is the year—no more (fill in the blank with habit of choice).
But what about when those habits are more serious? Even life-threatening? Be it alcohol, drugs, exercise, eating disorders, inappropriate relationships or other, we are extremely vulnerable to addiction. Why? Because we’re a people in need. God created us that way. He knew that we were fragile. He knew we needed comfort and strength and refuge. And He provided it…He provides it still.
However, for many of us, we don’t like our comfort to be intangible. We’d prefer to lay down a few dollars or send out a text and immediately receive the effects of our drug of choice. Before we even realize it, we have become enslaved to the benefits of instant relief and gratification. We are slaves to our own desires. And while we may not be in chains or behind bars, we are most definitely not free.
God’s intent is that we walk freely in the joy of our salvation through Him. He desires to be our refuge. He offers the relief and comfort we need and He daily knocks on our hearts with His hands extended. So why don’t we answer? Why don’t we embrace His offering? I think it’s because we don’t really grasp what true freedom looks like. I read once that after the emancipation of slavery, many slaves stayed on the property, working for the same owner for whom they had been. It was familiar. It was convenient and it didn’t require the risk of the unknown.
Let’s dare to be free today!
YOUR DAILY DARE
1.What in your life is enslaving you?
2.What actions today can you take to begin to break down those strongholds
3.What are you afraid you will lose by letting go of your habits? Write them down, share them with God and then observe on paper how, overtime, God fulfills those needs.
