Freedom and maturity…
Wow – that’s deep. You can’t have maturity without freedom, right? And freedom comes as we stop listening to the lies that drag us down…
For me, some of those sound like this: Look at what you’ve done in your past! You’re stained by that sin! You’re forgiven, but you can’t erase what you did. – or – You know all those times you’ve failed before? You’re still the same person, a pretty weak one, and given the right circumstances, you’ll fail again.
As much as I know those things aren’t true, they feel true. I don’t think those things all that often, but when I do, it feels like a secret I’m carrying around… I can see now how it limits my freedom! I’m not going to step forward into something God wants for me if I’m worried that people will find out the truth about me – I’m not all that great – forgetting that we’ve all come from the same place! We’re all saved by His great grace.
Christ paid a huge price for my freedom, and I’m making up my mind not to volunteer to be held prisoner by those thoughts. Besides, it’s not about me, it’s about Him and what He’s done and where He’s taking me…and that’s pretty amazing.
I like the analogy of slavery to sin like handcuffs and maturity like our muscles. Handcuffs are removed with the right key (Christ's death on the cross) and drop away instantly. What is the first thing people do (luckily I don't have personal experience here) when handcuffs are removed...they rub their wrist and walk away. They don't slap them back on cuz they were so comfy! But I know I do that sometimes - crazy huh! Who puts cuffs back on?!?! Then the maturity is our muscles which take time and exercise to increase in strength, endurance and flexibility. That doesn't happen instantly but grows slowly only if we exercise and stop putting the handcuffs back on.
ReplyDeleteI hope this mental picture will help me keep the cuffs off and keep coming back to the spiritual gym so I can be free in Christ and grow in maturity.
Hmm, I've never quite put these two puzzle pieces together. Immaturity = focusing on ourself which allows the accuser to do what he does best... accuse us. Focusing on those things we did in the past = bondage.
ReplyDeleteMaturity = focusing on God and others. Shifting our focus off ourself and onto God's grace, mercy, love for us breaks the cycle of accusations, which ushers in freedom.
Pretty cool.
Now don't get me started on handcuffing people... or I can tell you the infamous story of "flea"...
I like the handcuff theme; it helps me picture the bondage of sin.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to what Loren said today about nobody wanting to put the cuffs back on, but I find myself sometimes putting them back on because what is familiar is comfortable (another tool of the enemy). Freedom and growth are risky and outside the comfort zone, but totally worth it!
Praise God for setting me free!
Looking forward the "flea" story...
the crowd is chanting...
ReplyDeleteFLEA! FLEA! FLEA!
They want the story, Johnny.
Make sure to remind me to share it at our next small group.... Stolen car, handcuffs, baton & broken glass
ReplyDeleteWow, Today's word and all of your takes on this has hit home hard. I have been asking WHY I am having so much trouble changing my habits. Praying for help, but still not understanding WHY! I guess I like the feel of those handcuffs. :)
ReplyDelete"God has given us everything we need to grow to maturity in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). But Satan is opposed to our maturity and will do anything he can to keep us from realizing who we are and what we have in Christ. We must experience victory over the dark side before we can fully mature."
ReplyDeleteThis section impacts me in a couple of ways. First, I need to remember that the enemy of my soul is constantly working to keep me immature. It is only through the power of Christ that I can experience complete and consistent power over the enemy. Luke 10:19 "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you." Jesus, help me remember the authority I have in you to resist the enemy so I can be victorious and mature!
"You are free in Christ, but if the devil can deceive you into believing you're not, you won't experience the freedom which is your inheritance."
God help me to remember and celebrate my freedom in you--I don't want to walk back into slavery due to pride, selfishness, stubborness. I want to experience living in freedom more this year!