Shaped by Grace Part 2 - Lose the Lies & Gain God's TruthSample

Releasing the Chains

Lose the lie: “I can’t shake these chains.”

Lifting chains can help bodybuilders in three ways:

• Chains help pair the resistance curve on an exercise to strengthen the curve of a muscle.
• Chains prolong the time under tension for an exercise.
• Weight and chains increase the intensity of an exercise.

I don’t know how many of you are bodybuilders, but these weights sound hard and heavy to lift! I couldn’t lift such weight even if I had a coach.

Hurts, pains, and shame are life’s heavy-duty chains. The next time you suffer from an emotional wound, don’t hide from the pain and shame. Expose the wound to God’s light, and experience true healing. Healing is living out God’s grace and freedom. He offers a living hope and promises release from those old chains that are too heavy to lift and carry.

Think of your chains like this. Let’s say you put your shame, hurts, and/or pains into a backpack. Stuff them all in there. Then envision yourself zipping up the backpack. Imagine how heavy it would be! Would you even be able to put the backpack on your shoulders?

No, you wouldn’t.

So don’t put that backpack on, for goodness sake! Satan wants to entrap you with this bulky, heavy pack. He will lie to you and convince you to hold a grudge against those who have wronged you. He keeps you seduced by bitterness and an unforgiving attitude. Satan’s cunning ways come cloaked in darkness and leave you offended. But when you expose your wounds to God’s light, He applies a soothing balm of comfort. His touch enables you to drop those chains, the weight of it all, and release the hurt that entangles your heart.

Gain God’s Truth: The next time pain comes, take a moment to see yourself carrying that backpack. Then quickly put it down because it’s too heavy. Inevitably offenses come; so, declare your determination to release them to God. Be confident in God as your chain breaker. Freedom comes when we let God manage those chains! Understand you weren’t built to carry heavy backpacks like that. Be willing to let God work in these situations with those who have offended you. Press onward—chain free! Square your shoulders and keep forgiving—weight-free!