Staying Free After Breaking FreeSample

SKIPPING STONES

The first step to successfully skipping stones across a body of water is to find the right type of rock. Flat, round, and smooth stones work best.

The next step is to launch your stone at the right angle. Here’s a mental picture: Stand sideways and with your knees slightly bent to ensure your arm is closer to the water’s surface. With a flick of your wrist, launch your stone so that it enters the water with the flattest part of the rock face-up, parallel with the water. It takes a bit of practice, but when you get it right, the stone magically bounces across the surface of the water with great speed.

According to science.org, two key forces are at work when skipping stones: gravity and lift. Gravity pulls the stone down, while lift, the reactive force of the water, pushes the stone up. If the lift force is greater than the force of gravity, the stone bounces up. If the gravity force is greater, it sinks. Skipping stones successfully requires both forces.

When it comes to breaking free and staying free from negative thoughts or behavior, similar forces are at work. God lifts us up, but the enemy tries to pull us down. While God lifts us out of the pit and carries us towards freedom, the enemy stands ready to pounce when we are weak or unaware. Never fear, God is greater.

When women come through our Eyes Wide Open healing program, they often share how they have had periods of success along their journey, but after a while, something happens (usually stress enters the picture), and they begin reverting back to old thoughts and ways.

This is not at all uncommon. In fact, it’s completely normal for any kind of transformational journey. The important thing when you fall or take a step back is to dust yourself off, get back up, and keep moving forward.

Thankfully, God doesn’t waste any of our falls. Valuable lessons are learned through times of regression. Lessons that make us stronger. God will always bring beauty from our ashes if we let Him.

During my personal journey to freedom from bulimia, I had many ups and downs—steps forward and steps back. The key to my eventual success was to fix my focus on Jesus, trust His higher ways, and continually stand on biblical truth.

Beloved, when you take a step or two backward, don’t let the enemy convince you that you’re back to square one. Just like those stones skipping across the water, each up and down propels you further than you were before. Put your trust in God, and allow Him to lift you up and carry you forward. The Lord is faithful and will do it.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Think about a time when you took a step backwards on your journey towards lasting freedom. What caused you to stumble? Were you able to overcome and start moving forward again? If so, what lesson did God teach you through it?

PRAYER

Lord, I am so thankful that you are on this journey with me. I couldn’t do it without you. Please help me to recognize your presence in those moments when I’m about to fall so that I can cry out to you for help. Thank you that nothing can keep me stuck, not even the enemy. Help me keep my eyes fixed upon you. Amen.