She was wondering if she could ever be free. Freedom seemed to be far off in the distance from where she was, trapped by lies her in the prison cell of her mind. She looked around her, thinking everyone had it “all together” and she was the only one falling apart. She stared in the mirror, glaring at every “flaw” and did her best each day to cover them up, only to end each day feeling back at square one—hopeless. 

She lugs around chains every day—chains of comparison, doubt, discouragement, and frustration with who she is, how she looks, and what she does. The weight of the chains always becomes unbearable, and the only place to go for freedom is the one place she’s been avoiding: the Word. 

But she goes anyway. She opens up Scripture and starts to pour her heart out to God as He pours His truth back into her. Slowly, the chains loosen and start to fall off. She rubs her wrists, feeling relieved to be able to lift her hands in worship again. She jumps up and down, finally being able to move freely where she wants to go. She knew it would happen. She knew He’d show up if she would just come to Him. And so she came, and He did what only He could do.

I know about this “she” well, because I’ve been her. Longing to be free, but peering through the prison bars of insecurity feeling hopeless, wondering “How can I get to the other side? How can I learn to rejoice with others in their celebrations without feeling like I’ve failed? How can I be free and unfettered from these chains?” I know when I start being this “she”, and it is when I take my eyes off of who “He” is.

But every time, I mean every single time, when I come to the Word the chains fall off. They can’t stay on the wrists of the children of God in His presence. It’s a daily choice to open up Scripture and dig deep, but it pays off. Insecurity will never get you where you want to go, but God will and He uses His Word to refine, refresh, and restore us…every single day.

If you are feeling like that “she”, approach the throne of grace with confidence today and pour your heart out before the Lord. He always shows up when we come to meet with Him. The chains will fall, because they can only bow down in His presence. 

bowing before His throne and being filled again,

Gretchen