We went on a little trip over the weekend. We left after church on Sunday and came back home Monday afternoon…just in time to a chili dinner on our first “real” day of fall weather.
Since being gone all weekend I’ve felt a little off-kilter all week.
I’ve been grumpy
on edge
tired
and defeated.
I’ve yelled at my kids way too much for my own comfort…or theirs.
Last night I was comforted and challenged by the words of Kelly Minter in my Nehemiah Bible Study.
The Israelites were crying out to God in prayer because, although they were finally within the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem, they were still in bondage, enslaved by the very people that they were commanded to conquer many, many years ago.
As she spoke of the situation the Israelites were in, I couldn’t help but to ask myself the question,
Am I a slave right here in the blessings that I have been given?
Do I walk around as a slave, burdened by the very work that I have been called to?
There are many, many days that I act as if I am a slave.
I am beat down and burdened.
I am hard pressed to find joy.
Then Kelly talked about the verse in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom Christ has set us free”.
Because of Christ I am not a slave.
I have been given freedom…glorious freedom!
Christ has set me free from the bonds of sin, of my own selfishness, and I have been given freedom.
I want to live in this freedom every single moment of every single day.
And I can!
The second part of Galatians 5:1 holds the key to living in this freedom.
It says, “stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Yes, I am going to stand firm.
I am going to stand firm in my faith.
I am going to stand firm in my calling.
I am going to stand firm in supporting my husband.
I am going to stand firm in training my children.
I am going to stand firm in caring for my home.
I am going to stand firm in being a friend.
I am going to stand firm in sharing Christ’s love.
I will not submit to the yoke of slavery by giving in to sin.
And when I do…when sin does creep in (because it will)…I will come back to Christ in repentance, accepting the forgiveness, grace and mercy that he offers again and again.
Stephanie says
You have NO idea how much I needed to read this today! Thank you so much for sharing. Thank you, thank you!