IF I’VE BEEN REDEEMED… Why are the chains still so heavy??

 

Failures… what does that word mean to you?  When I think of failures, I think of all the things in my life that I wish I could do over.  Oh man, were there ever lots of them… Trust me here, it is very easy to listen to the taunts and lies of the enemy, that I simply have outdone my “forgiveness quota”.

So when I read this passage, I didn’t just feel the old stab of guilt, I felt turmoil.  Lord, I Love you so much… yet I did this.  Lord, You died for ME and I did that…my thoughts twist and turn through past choices made and, decisions not thought through and instantly regretted.

It would be easy to stay in this land of guilt and regret, the enemy of our souls makes it his goal that he can trap us here.  Thankfully, the beautiful gracious Word of God teaches us otherwise.  The difficult thing, I find, is to hear what HE is saying to us over the clamour of accusations being hurled at us daily.  This takes commitment to open the Word of God even when we don’t feel like it… to read and digest what He wants us to know over the lies the enemy wants in our head.

Sadly, I lived in this place a long time.  The accusations were so strong and so true… I actually did those things… what could God do with someone like me? This was especially true when I focused on the legalistic tone so often taught from the Bible.  Unfortunately, this way of thinking simply keeps you trapped and chained to those very sins that Christ died for.

I am so thankful for the Godly teaching on Forgiveness, Love & Grace.  Once I was able to take the blinders off and forgive myself for the very things that Jesus had already forgiven me for, I was actually able to grow… to start becoming who He wanted me to be.

I have come to learn that (although my heart still aches at some of the horrible choices I made) Jesus is the Lord of Redemption.  There is nothing… absolutely nothing… that He can’t use for His Glory… Praise the Lord, because that also means ME… failures and all.

One of the greatest gifts I have received through this process is the gift to look past the outward appearances, to look beyond the surface, to recognize that there are many things contributing to the choices someone may have made.  I absolutely refuse to judge.

Judging is by God and for God alone.  He has comforted us so that we through our distress can comfort others He puts in our path… This my friends is how we Love.  We leave the judgement to God and chose to Love those He brings to us.  We don’t even have to understand, our job is not to fix but to Love.  Fixing is difficult, Loving is easy.

Don’t get me wrong, not all people are easy to Love.  Years of pain, heartbreak and hardening can cause the human heart to crust over.  That’s when it’s imperative that we seek Gods strength and wisdom to guide us.  He constantly shows me that He wants me to recognize what He has done for me, He wants to do the same for those that are still trapped and hurting… this is how much He Loves us ALL.

As his Child, forgiven & redeemed by the price He paid, he asks for very little in return.  He asks us to Love his Children that don’t yet know him, those that are lost… in pain… broken… absolutely none beyond repair.  The most amazing part of this whole thing… He himself enables us to achieve this, through the power of His Spirit living in us.

We ALL have a purpose on this path we are on.  God has redeemed each of us from a life of destruction to one of Grace & fulness.  He knows the ones He is placing in your path, and there is no coincidence in that, more times that not, we are EXACTLY where He wants us, and He WILL equip us to Love them if we are willing to trust in His purpose & plan….

Journal Entry #25

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your Word, thank you that it is ever-changing to me, yet never changes.  In that I mean, as I grow closer to you, you speak to me through your Word in deeper ways. You are constantly urging me forward to become who you created me to be, Praise You Lord!

Your Word tells us that because Jesus gave his life for us, that we must give our lives for each other.  Forgive me Lord, for the many times I have seen or heard of your people in need but I did nothing to help.  I see now, that it is in precisely this way, that we give our lives for others.  

It is through this Love to others, that you can be seen IN us.  Help me Lord, to be open to your call, to be ready to respond and to reach out in Love to those you put in my path.  Open my heart to Love others better and more fully, through your Spirit Lord.  

You Lord, are the ultimate example of Love, You took ALL of the sinfulness that I and ALL your children contained, and place them on yourself.  I feel that, that may have been more painful than the cross itself.  Yet, You chose it willingly so that we might have life to the fullest.  

Thank you Jesus for that unimaginable act of selflessness.  Teach me Lord, to Love more like you, I pray.  Your Word tells me that through this action of Love, we know we belong to you, and we feel at ease in the presence of God.  I desire that very much, to sit at your feet and bask in your truth.  How wonderful it would be to have that type of intimate relationship with you.  

Yet, your Word tells us that, that is exactly what we CAN have.  What I love, is that your Word tells me that “even if I don’t FEEL at ease”, it’s OK, because You know ALL that is going one IN our hearts and minds, and even so, YOU will give us the courage to come to You.

Praise You Father!  Remove the lies that the enemy has planted, telling me that I am:    too unworthy… too broken… too ______ ______, to come into Your presence.  Give me the courage to come to You and rest there.  Fill me with Your Peace and Love Heavenly Father.  

And Lord God, teach me to pray according to YOUR heart and desires, rather than mine.  You know what I need and what’s best for my life, teach me to pray “not my will but Yours Father”.  Guide and direct me to live my life in a way that is pleasing to You, fulfilling the purpose You created me to fulfill.

Thank you Father, for sending Your Son, for sending Jesus (fully God and fully man)  to earth to save ME, and to give me Life, to break the chains of my bondage to this broken world.  

Help me Abba, to obey all of your commandments, give me the desire to please You and only You.  Thank you, that You promise if we live in this way, we will stay in our hearts with You, and You by your Spirit, will stay with us.  

Thank you Lord for the gift of the Holy Spirit within me, this is the ongoing proof that I am one with You… for Your Glory and my growth. 

In Jesus name ❤️ Amen

 

My Final Words & Encouragement:

Maybe you struggle like I did, wanting to lock away all the past failures and mistakes… hoping and praying nobody would ever find out.  You’ve locked the door to your past so tight that it hasn’t been opened for years and the cobwebs have covered the doorway, proving the job was done right.

My encouragement to you today, dust off those cobwebs… open the door and peer inside. Let your eyes adjust, and allow the light of Christ to invade that space.  Allow yourself to view those very things through the eyes of your redeemer, the one who willingly chose to die for you, so that you could be free from the sins of the past.

I don’t know your story, and truthfully, you don’t know mine.  the truth of the matter is that we don’t have to.  For we know the Truths the Bible teaches us:  “for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”… “While we were still sinners Jesus chose to Die for us”….”He wants that none be lost, but ALL be saved through repentance of our sins”.  

If we weren’t sinners, Christ would NOT have had to come and Die for us.  It is precisely that reason that He came.  Yet the enemy works hard trying to keep us from living in that freedom bought by grace, and sadly we keep listening.

Friends, I implore you… unlock the door, release everything inside to the sanctifying light of Grace & Forgiveness and go forward, not hiding your past.  Use the things you have learned going forward to help others that are still stuck in that spot.  Those that think they’re beyond redemption.

Think about it… If Christ can forgive me… and He can forgive you… is there really anyone that is beyond that type of Love?  The truth is, our stories… our past… our failures can actually be our greatest gift for someone else, if we are willing to trust them in the hands of the almighty that He would bring Glory through them.

The best day of my life was the day I chose to unlock the door, throw away the key and turn on the light for Christs glory…. this was MY freedom bought by Love.

Blessings, Janet ❤️ Journey4Jesus

{ If this benefited you in any way, I’d love to hear from you and I would be thrilled if you would share or invite more people to be encouraged. }