The Free

     I just got back from spending a week in the great outdoors. I was a camp councilor at my church's summer camp. I've been doing this for the past three years and this summer was BY FAR the best I've ever had. Not that the other summers were bad, mind you, but this summer I felt as though the messages were ministering to me specifically. The group I was leading was amazing also! I had seven beautiful girls who were about to enter their senior year of high school -- I've never seen girls so on fire for Jesus Christ and seeking His will above their own!


     The theme this year was: THE FREE. The pastors were specifically referring to freedom from sin -- the freedom one receives from Jesus Christ when one becomes saved. Since I and my girls were already saved, THE FREE took on a different meaning for us...

     For me, it was freedom from fear. I have spent my life in fear; not a whimpering, trembling fear that refuses to go outdoors or to experience the new, but a fear of failure and a fear of rejection. This fear manifests as a refusal to do something that I feel will make people laugh at my inabilities or criticize my attempts. This fear also makes meeting new people difficult and talking about serious issues with old friends impossible -- the fear of being abandoned or rejected for something I might say was too strong.

     These fears can be overwhelming at times and although a healthy amount of daring and sensitivity towards others is VERY good, these were to an extreme. I was scared and miserable because I felt weak, helpless and alone.

     But Christ showed me otherwise.

     I always knew:

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me" (Matthew 5:10-11, NASB).

and

"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you" (John 15:18-19, NASB).

     Yet, I never really lived it. Now, I have learned...
 
     I learned that Christ is where all my approval must lie. He is in charge of my destiny. He has given me gifts to use for His glory. He has designed me with a plan and a purpose -- to usher in brothers and sisters to the Faith through my words and actions, even if I have no idea I'm doing it. If I feel God calling me to do something, I can stand in confidence that He will provide the strength and ability to do it with excellence when I know of myself it is impossible.

     God was big enough and smart enough to create the universe from nothing. He was powerful enough to divide the sea, to make the sun stand still, to make hearts strong enough to move blood through our veins. He was loving enough to die for the sins of the universe. There is no problem -- no mistake -- so large that we cannot overcome it with His help.

     I can stand strong. I can laugh in the face of the world when it tries to pull me down! I can do that which seems impossible because it is not me but Christ in me. He is my strength! He is my power because, of myself, I am nothing, but with Him I am everything.

Replace LIES with TRUTH

     My mother once told me stories of a spiritual battle she waged over twenty years ago. This battle paralyzed her with fear, dread and hopelessness. This was a battle of the mind -- a battle of the soul. This battle could not be won by natural means: medication, counseling, or personal willpower. When in the midst of a personal struggle, how do we fight? What can we do to drag ourselves out of the "Slough of Despond" or the "Depths of Despair"?

      In a word NOTHING.

     There is nothing that we a humans can do to pull ourselves out of the spiritual quagmire. When fear and lies are flying around our hearts and minds, there is nothing that we can do of our own volition to return to "happy times and joyful thoughts." BUT we are not without hope. The only way to win this battle is to replace lies with truth. Fill your mind so full of the wonderful promises of God that there is no room for sadness and doubt.

     The way my mother fought was to wright a scripture verse on a piece of paper or a notecard. Whenever she felt the surge of defeat and gloom, she would pull out the card and read it over and over -- filling her mind with the promises of God. She would do this constantly, changing out the verses as necessary, until her spirit grew strong. Eventually, her mind was so full of the wondrousness of God that she no longer needed the notecards -- her mind was one giant notecard, filled with the character of God!

     I have been waging an internal battle of my own. Having learned from my mother's experience, I have taken to carrying a little pocket-sized notebook. During my devotions, I will write down the Bible verses that I find particularly helpful -- or hopeful. When the fear and depression begins to weigh on me, I read what I wrote -- I fill my mind with the Truth of God.

     This is the way battles are fought; this is the way they are won! Is it easy? No. Is it fast? Sometimes not. But, these are the tools that Christians have. We have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside our hearts -- this is a hope no unsaved person can experience. Jesus Christ has already won the war; our job is to pursue God in our battles, day by day. Christ is faithful, and He will never abandon us to despair.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. --Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

"All that is gold does not glitter..."

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

 -J. R. R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings

No matter how deep or dark your mistakes; God can redeem you.

No matter how far you have fallen or how large your sin; God can forgive.

It is in Jesus Christ that the Christian's worth is found.

"And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins" Hebrews 8:12 NLT.

Not only does He forgive and forget ALL of our past sins, but Christ gives us glory and a kingdom. For, we are joint heirs of eternity with Jesus Christ our Lord.

"The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" Romans 8:16-17 NASB.