FORGETTING OUR SHACKLES

Writing for Five Minute Friday.   Today's prompt word is FORGET.  

A rocket has to 'forget' that gravity exists to get to that sweet spot called orbit.  

To be in orbit means to be able to circle the earth without falling back down.  

To start with, it's all hard work, reaching past the default of gravity, until it reaches beyond that downward pull and is able to just circle above it and stay there, powered by its own engines.   It takes a huge amount of external thrust to get it beyond earth's powerful pull and once it is beyond it, it can run on its own power and stay in orbit, circling the earth.    

It can see the earth below, but it isn't pulled down by it.   It's able to soar, to be free of it.  

In the same way, we need to forget our limitations and get to that place of soaring, that sweet spot that God has for us.   

How, on earth, or beyond earth, do we do that?   

How do we get to that place of orbit, of soaring, of functioning beyond the downward pull we've been stuck in for so.very.long?  

We have to forget the limitations others have put on us.   

We have to forget the limitations we put on ourselves.    

We have to forget the failures and move forward, believing we CAN learn new ways, new routines, new skills, reach new levels of understanding and health in every area of our lives.   

We have to believe it's possible.   I mean, no space crew would step into a rocket if they didn't fundamentally believe it was possible to reach orbit, rather than come crashing back to earth in a fatal collision.    We have to have a definite target or goal (that's called hope) and we have to use our faith to reach for that hope, that goal, that end point.  I've written about the need for hope and the power of hope and faith here.  

We have to be empowered by a force beyond ourselves - beyond positive confession, beyond positive thinking, beyond feel-good, self-help, self-esteem stuff.   We have to have something solid behind us.     He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  He is All-mighty God, Elohim.    

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.  1 Chron 29:11

The power we need is in Him.   We have to lean into Him.   He establishes and strengthens and empowers us, He gives us strength beyond our natural capability as we lean into and wait on Him (with real expectation).   

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.   1 Pet 5:10  

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles, 

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.  Isa 40:31  

Very practically and intentionally, we have to take steps forward.   Baby steps if necessary, but actual steps.   We have to actually press forward and forget what lies behind, forget who we were and even still are, and reach for all that He made us to be.  

..........but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Phil 3:13,14

How?   

To shift our current reality, to enable and empower change, we have to change our thinking, be transformed by the renewing of our mind.   Line by line, precept upon precept.    We have to intentionally fill our minds with the truth of His Word, and those truths will change our defaults.   It's called the principle and practice of displacement, as discovered by Archimedes.   

Rather than focusing on all that is wrong, we need to start filling our bathtub with what is right.  The wrong will float to the surface and we can see it, confess it, release it, let God scoop it off, and start living in His truth instead.   It happens naturally when we soak in the bathtub of truth.  

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.    And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:31,32  

We also have to practically take steps, baby steps if necessary, to change our environment, our routines, our patterns, and our habits.   Even if we only changed one thing per week, and kept that change next week while we change the next thing, it would be forward movement.    Eventually, we're able to increase the rate of change, like the acceleration of a rocket, because we're less drained and overwhelmed.

One of the most helpful books I've ever read, that changed my thinking and my life in real, day to day, practical terms, was Homeschooling With a Meek and Quiet Spirit, by Teri Maxwell, mother of eight children, homeschooling, homesteading, drowning in work and depressed because of the overwhelm.  Sound familiar?  Yep, and I only had three kids when I read it.  

She talked about the little things you can do that add up to a big difference.   For example, if your mending pile is overtaking a desk, then chuck it in a basket and spend 15 minutes a day on it.   Fifteen minutes a day over several days or even weeks, and  you'll get something finished.   Your mending pile looks better, it reduces your visual clutter and thereby reduces your mental strain.

If you spend 10 minutes every day keeping surfaces clean, then you'll be surprised how much clearer your thinking is, how much less depressed and overwhelmed you feel because visually it looks better.  Even if you have to shove everything into a box and spend 10 minutes a day sorting it and putting it away, or designate an hour a week.   Put it in one spot so it's not everywhere, driving you nuts and dragging you down.     Clear surfaces lead to clear thinking. 

If you spend 10-30 minutes a day contributing to your health in some way, you'll notice a change.   You may not notice it that day, or the next, but I promise you it will happen, in increments.   If your health is out of whack, then it's very difficult to have the energy for even the smallest of tasks.   

If you spend 10 minutes a day writing down what you're grateful for and intentionally rejoicing, you'll actually feel physically better, and joy will start to strengthen you.   

If you spend 10-30 minutes a day in praise and worship, your body will release the right chemicals, release toxins and you will feel physically stronger and less drained, and less tired.

  

If you spend 10-30 minutes a day, getting quiet before your Shepherd, you'll hear His voice, feel His strength, be more joyful (which also will empower you), get His perspective, get His help to carry the burden with you.   If you're carrying more than He's given you, you can take that time to let it go and decide what boundaries you need to put on your finite energy levels.    

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”   Matt 11:28-30  MSG 

If you spend 10-30 minutes a day intentionally letting go of the stresses of the day, the negativity, the resentment, frustration, anger, jealousy, unforgiveness, guilt, shame, failures, etc, you will sleep better and wake up lighter and stronger.  

If you spend 10-30 minutes a day forgiving everyone who drove you nuts that day (and that often requires daily practice), whether they were in your space or in your past, you will sleep better and wake up stronger and be free-er.    Every time we let go of all that, His grace is able to fill those places made vacant, which in turn enables and empowers us.   

We also need to speak life over ourselves and our situations.   When we feel powerless, we speak negatively.   His is the power, so we need to speak His truth and lean into His power to see change.   

It's the little practices that lead to big changes.  

It's the little steps that lead someone out of a prison.    Yes, someone has to open the door and give the order, but the prisoner has to WALK out, through as many corridors and tunnels and stairways as it takes to get out through that front door.   

And Someone already has given the order and opened the door - hallelujah!! 

Jesus came to set the captives free.  This is what He came to do.   

This is what He read out in the temple in His early  ministry.    

And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”     Luke 4:18-21 , Isa 61:1-3

But often we captives don't recognise it or have been shackled so long, we don't know how to walk in freedom.    Seriously, we don't.   We can sense it, get glimpses of it, but how do we get there? 

He promises to lead us out, step by step by step.  His footsteps become our pathway if we'll just follow His principles.   He has pathways of righteousness laid out for each of us.   Ps 85 is so full of His promises, but let us not return to our folly, let us not turn back, let us forget what is behind us and aim forward.    Let's stop giving the enemy a seat at our table.  

I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace (shalom, order, health) to His people and to His saints; but let them not turn back to folly.  Ps 85:8

The prisoner can walk into freedom, step by step by step by step, faltering if they must, but not looking back, not giving up, pressing forward into freedom and life, forgetting the shackled life.    

We have to believe it and aim for it

We have to soak in truth

We have to speak truth, not facts and failures

We have to look up to Him and look forward to the life He promises

We have to lean into Him and His power

We have to choose to rejoice

We have to forget our shackles and press on, and walk out and into who He made us to be.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.   Eph 2:10  

Phil Wickham has a great, upbeat song, House of the Lord, that speaks these truths and more.  

'Cause we were the beggars

Now we're royalty

We were the prisoners

Now we're running free

We are forgiven, accepted

Redeemed by His grace

Let the house of the Lord sing praise

There's joy in the house of the Lord (there is joy in the house)

There's joy in the house of the Lord today

And we won't be quiet (oh yeah)

We shout out Your praise (I wanna shout out Your praise)