Dictionary.com defines slave
as “a person entirely under the domination of some influence or person”.
Throughout history, there have been several accounts of slave labour and
revolutions to stop it, but, unfortunately, we still see cases of slavery
today. However, this modern slavery isn’t always the I-own-you-so-work-for-me-or-I’ll-whip-you
type of slavery: it’s more of a slavery to the world and worldly influences.
Think about it: just because you aren’t being auctioned off at some farm on a Sunday doesn’t mean you aren’t a slave to something in life. There are the ‘hardcore’ cases, like being a slave to drugs or alcohol, but often we are slaves to something that may not seem like such a big deal, when in fact, they are actually a huge deal. In all honesty, I’m a slave to body image and because of that, I’ve done many stupid things and made myself very unhappy- which brings me to my next point: have you ever met a happy slave?
Well if slaves were “happy”, then I don’t think people would be trying so hard to eradicate slavery. I mean come on, being forced to clean somebody’s toilet is not my definition of a fun Saturday night!
Those things in life that have ownership over you will also try to eradicate your happiness; let’s face it: the devil can’t have happy Christians! Imagine Christians were happy 100% of the time: then he’d have no chance of ever getting them to renounce their faith.
Think about it: just because you aren’t being auctioned off at some farm on a Sunday doesn’t mean you aren’t a slave to something in life. There are the ‘hardcore’ cases, like being a slave to drugs or alcohol, but often we are slaves to something that may not seem like such a big deal, when in fact, they are actually a huge deal. In all honesty, I’m a slave to body image and because of that, I’ve done many stupid things and made myself very unhappy- which brings me to my next point: have you ever met a happy slave?
Well if slaves were “happy”, then I don’t think people would be trying so hard to eradicate slavery. I mean come on, being forced to clean somebody’s toilet is not my definition of a fun Saturday night!
Those things in life that have ownership over you will also try to eradicate your happiness; let’s face it: the devil can’t have happy Christians! Imagine Christians were happy 100% of the time: then he’d have no chance of ever getting them to renounce their faith.
Being a slave means something has complete control over your
life, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the idea of something, other
than God, controlling my life. It just makes life that much harder. Think about
it: what are you a slave to? Money? Material possessions? What people think of
you? Work? There are so many things in life that will try to steal your joy;
that will try to possess and overcome you and stop you from becoming the person
you’re meant to be. When you’re a slave, you’re under confinement and that
confinement limits you from reaching your full potential. Not only that, it
limits you from fully enjoying and experiencing life and from fully growing
closer to those around you. Now maybe you’re thinking ‘she doesn’t know what
she’s talking about, money (or whatever you’re a slave to) makes me very happy’.
Can I just say one thing?
WAKE UP.
If happiness means harming yourself (either emotionally or
physically in some way) and ruining relationships with those around you, then
surely no one will want to be happy. Life is so much more and God has so much
more in store for us, but we limit ourselves from experiencing that.
Getting out of slavery isn’t an easy thing to do: it is
painful, stressful and likely to cause a few scraps and bruises, but the end
result is SO worth it. Look at the Israelites for example. They were under
slavery in Egypt and were being treated absolutely horribly, but with God’s
help they got freedom. However, they renounced that freedom and grumbled when
having to walk to the Promised Land, saying it would be better if they could go
back into slavery, which meant that God made them wander 40 years in the desert
(you can read about this in Exodus).
There are three important lessons that I gather from this:
Firstly, slavery is unpleasant, it will only end up hurting you as I discussed earlier. Exodus 1:14 says, “They [the Egyptians] made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.”
Being a slave may just end up in life becoming harsh and bitter: even if you don’t see the effects right now, they normally do come back to bite you in the bum…
Firstly, slavery is unpleasant, it will only end up hurting you as I discussed earlier. Exodus 1:14 says, “They [the Egyptians] made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.”
Being a slave may just end up in life becoming harsh and bitter: even if you don’t see the effects right now, they normally do come back to bite you in the bum…
Secondly, God wants His people to be very! I mean come on,
He sent ten hectic plagues so that
the pharaoh would free His people! If that’s not making an effort to free your
people, then I don’t know what is. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that
Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened
again by a yoke of slavery.”
Jesus came so we no longer had to be slaves, but it is our own choice to live in that freedom. You have to decide if you’re willing to become free and make the effort to stay free. When things got tough, the Israelites wanted to return to slavery: Numbers 14:4 says, “And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”’
The thing is, life isn’t going to be easy and the Bible doesn’t tell us that it will be. Sometimes you’ll overcome something, like an addiction maybe, and then something will happen and your first instinct will be to turn back. From personal experience, I know it’s not worth it to turn back because you’ll probably just end up worse. Imagine God was all, “You Israelites are annoying Me. Just go back if you’re going to be PMSing so much”. I think the Egyptians would have treated them a million times worse. Also, another point to remember is this: you know that saying about looking at the past through “rose-tinted” glasses? Sometimes when you overcome something and think back about it, it doesn’t seem so bad any more. DO NOT GIVE INTO THAT WAY OF THINKING :/ (I hope the capitals emphasize my seriousness! :P) Yes, life may be tough now, but that doesn’t mean going back to the old way of doing things will be any easier. Life is a journey and all journeys will have their ups and downs: you just have to be willing to persevere up those uphills, no matter how sweaty and tired you get, otherwise you’ll miss out on the great view.
Jesus came so we no longer had to be slaves, but it is our own choice to live in that freedom. You have to decide if you’re willing to become free and make the effort to stay free. When things got tough, the Israelites wanted to return to slavery: Numbers 14:4 says, “And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”’
The thing is, life isn’t going to be easy and the Bible doesn’t tell us that it will be. Sometimes you’ll overcome something, like an addiction maybe, and then something will happen and your first instinct will be to turn back. From personal experience, I know it’s not worth it to turn back because you’ll probably just end up worse. Imagine God was all, “You Israelites are annoying Me. Just go back if you’re going to be PMSing so much”. I think the Egyptians would have treated them a million times worse. Also, another point to remember is this: you know that saying about looking at the past through “rose-tinted” glasses? Sometimes when you overcome something and think back about it, it doesn’t seem so bad any more. DO NOT GIVE INTO THAT WAY OF THINKING :/ (I hope the capitals emphasize my seriousness! :P) Yes, life may be tough now, but that doesn’t mean going back to the old way of doing things will be any easier. Life is a journey and all journeys will have their ups and downs: you just have to be willing to persevere up those uphills, no matter how sweaty and tired you get, otherwise you’ll miss out on the great view.
Lastly, the Promised Land. Again with journey analogy, we
are all working towards something: eternity with God. Yes, life is tough and
difficult, but it can also be fun and wonderful. Someone said something very
wise to me this week: You can’t control people’s actions, but you can control
your reaction. Things will happen in life that may be unpleasant, but it’s your
attitude towards it that will make all the difference. Some things in life will
try to control and overtake you, but at the end of the day, it’s your choice to let it. Life is a journey
to heaven and this journey isn’t very long- maybe 80 years or so generally. If
you think about it, it’s actually pointless to worry about every simple things
and allow yourself to be unhappy because, at the end of the day, we’re all just
going to die anyway. Make your life one to remember- that legendary type of
life that when you get to heaven, God greets you with a fist pump and bottle of
champagne while the angels clap and shake their heads in pure wonder. Make
memories, create friendships and live every single day with meaning.
Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able
to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
God wants you to be happy, blessed and to live in joy so He will do all that He can to ensure you get to live that way (He may even send a few plagues!), but remember, it’s YOUR decision to live that way. So here’s my challenge: write down a little note to yourself and stick it somewhere you’ll see it. Write: My name is XYZ and I am no long a slave to ABC!!!!!!!!!! (the exclamation marks just give it that dramatic effect ;) ) Then make sure you PRAY. Prayer is so, so, so powerful and the moment you pray and really give it to God, He’ll do all He can to honour you in that (another lesson I learnt this week!)
God wants you to be happy, blessed and to live in joy so He will do all that He can to ensure you get to live that way (He may even send a few plagues!), but remember, it’s YOUR decision to live that way. So here’s my challenge: write down a little note to yourself and stick it somewhere you’ll see it. Write: My name is XYZ and I am no long a slave to ABC!!!!!!!!!! (the exclamation marks just give it that dramatic effect ;) ) Then make sure you PRAY. Prayer is so, so, so powerful and the moment you pray and really give it to God, He’ll do all He can to honour you in that (another lesson I learnt this week!)
So come on. Stop being a slave. YOU ARE FREE. Live in freedom
and make your life one to remember.
I dare you.
(Just some extra quotes I found quite cool)
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17
"If you look to others for fulfilment, you will never
be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with
yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When
you realize there is nothing lacking, the world belongs to you." Lao Tzu
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36
Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not
in finishing an activity but in doing it." Greg Anderson
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”' Galatians 5:13-14
"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner
of traveling." Margaret Lee Runbeck
