"In Bondage"

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Matthew 7:3

Why is it that when we think about someone being in bondage, we think about addicts who are in bondage to drugs or alcohol.  And true they are.  But that is not the only kind of bondage there is.  There are some that are just as destructive and just as hurtful to self and others.  While we want to look down our noses and condemn those who are in bondage to chemical substances, let's not forget to take a look at our own lives. 

Many of you are in bondage to other things besides drugs and alcohol.  Some of you are in bondage to anger.  You seem to always be "mad at the world".  It controls you and makes you say things you regret later and act in ways you should not have and are hurtful to those around you.  Some of you are in bondage to bitterness.  Life dealt you a bad hand, or you made wrong choices, or things happened to you because that's just life, and now you are bitter and you spue out that bitterness to those who love you the most.  Kindness eludes you.  Bitterness not only hurts you, but it defiles others. Some of you are in bondage to fear.  You won't make a step forward for fear of failure, fear of getting hurt, fear of being judged.  You stay where you are day after day and are too scared to enjoy the abundant life God desires for you to have.  In turn you are robbing others of the pleasure of your company and the gifts and talents that you possess. Then there are those who are in bondage to pornography, pride, jealousy, greed, confusion, frustration, unforgiveness, grief and many other things.  

These all rob you of having the life God intended for you to have.  They hinder your God-given purpose.  They keep you defeated and won't let you walk in victory.  Drugs and alcohol aren't the only things that destroy relationships, these bondages will as well. 

It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to break the bondage of drugs and alcohol.  It also takes the power of the Holy Spirit to break any bondage-- those we have named and those we haven't.  The first step to getting free from bandage, regardless of what it is, is to recognize and acknowledge it. (Confess your sin.) Then repent of it. Call out to God and ask Him to deliver you and set you free.  He will! He came to set the captive free and open the prison doors to those who are bound.

Have a great day.  Bondage comes in many forms.  All of them are destructive.  Jesus wants to set you free by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Let Him!  

For further reading:

1 John 1:9; Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; Hebrews 12:15