We’ve all experienced prisons of one sort or another.
Perhaps it was the prison of physical incapacity because of a serious injury or illness that left us wondering if we’d ever recoup the mobility we desired.
Perhaps it was the prison of grief after the death of an immediate family member.
Perhaps it was the prison of financial bankruptcy that left us feeling humiliated and economically crippled and afraid to share anything with others.
Perhaps it was the prison of intense guilt for having made immoral choices that cost us dearly and wounded deeply those dear to us.
Or perhaps our prison was the all-too-common one of thinking that prayer and God’s power are only incidental to our being restored to happier lives.
Listen, only God can set us free from the prisons of the heart and soul.
Sometimes, according to His purposes and for our best, He sets us free from earthly, tangible prisons such as physical incapacity or economic chaos or emotional tragedy.
But, always, He offers to set us free from that which chains the spirit.
And really, that is the freedom that counts because that is the freedom that is eternal.
The Apostle Paul understood this and described it in 2 Corinthians 12 when he wrote of begging the Lord — three times — to remove his thorn in the flesh. But the Lord said “No.”
And here’s why. Because the Lord did not prevent the affliction, whatever it was, Paul was able to learn that his inner peace was not based on his physical health, but instead on his spiritual health.
And, in view of all the afflictions and persecution faced during his ministry, that knowledge was crucial to his sense of inner peace.
The principle applies to us as well, even though we’re not facing the persecution experienced by Paul.
Please, whenever you experience an awakening of spiritual insight that strengthens your spiritual backbone and comforts your spiritual heart, celebrate it with other believers as a blessed testimony that might help them.
This is what we’re called to do.
I like the words of Psalm 142:7 in this regard.
“Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.” Psalm 142:7
You’ve been freed my friend in more ways than you can count. Please share the Good News of that freedom with somebody today. I’ll look for opportunities to do the same.
As always, I love you
Martin
NOTE: I’ll be travelling to see family during the next week and will resume the Morning Devotion on Jan. 2. Merry Christmas!
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