Breaking Free and Staying Free!
- 31
- Jan
You can start every new year and every new day in freedom!
Yes, it’s true: God’s love and mercy and compassion on us is new and fresh every day. The slate is wiped clean to start again, no matter how badly you fail Him or your own expectations.
Compare these 3 versions to get a clearer glimpse of that in Lamentations 3:22-24.
Click on each translation to open in new window.
I love the way The Message version brings it right into today’s expressions:
God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He’s all I’ve got left.
Not only can you start over again fresh every day, but any MINUTE! You just have to ask and God is faithful to forgive you. When he does, you need to forgive yourself and accept his love and grace for the rest of your day. You are free to live and enjoy that day without guilt, shame or condemnation. You have laid down all the weight of where you messed up. It’s gone now, so no reason to pick up the weight you already laid down at the Master’s feet, right?
So you can get and STAY free! Nothing in your mind or emotions to pile up like heavy baggage to keep you stuck or miserable or living an ineffective life. You have strength, power, victory and peace, knowing if you mess up again, it will be covered. How great is that!
I like the mandate to “Keep short accounts with God!” That way, you keep a totally open and clear conduit of communion and fellowship so you don’t miss any of the blessings and love messages he is sending your way. It is a good rule of thumb to follow if you’re married too! Forgive often! 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter, reminds us of that. 1 Cor. 13:4-7
You’ve heard the verse “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.” There’s a lot of wisdom in this. I just read that the neural pathways in our brains become hardwired with memories and emotions as we sleep. It is easier to get rid of the toxic emotions that same day, instead of having them grow and fester. Overnight they can become wired into our cellular memory as well as our brain and neural pathways. This makes is harder to take action on and to stay mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy and refreshed.
So take note and develop the practice of being a “fast forgiver” – both of others and yourself. Wouldn’t you want to trade in your heavy burdens of mental and emotional anguish, especially knowing they can become actual physical illnesses over time if you hold onto them without release?
I’ve heard it said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die! You will pay dearly for not keeping those short accounts with God and your fellow man.
Turn the page to a fresh one! Ask God to wipe your slate clean. Thank him for his new fresh mercies and tenderness toward you. Receive his refreshing, soul-cleansing bath of warm love from head to toe. Trust him to bring forth anything else that needs to be acknowledged and forgiven too. His love will continue to keep you clean from the inside to outside.
Rejoice and be glad! Dance in your new freedom! Yes, right now is okay! It’s probably time for a stretch break from your computer anyway! You will thank me for it.