Slavery

What would you say if I told you that I believe you choose to be a slave? That people sign their lives away intentionally every day?
I'm not talking about the slavery of times past that included sailing to a foreign country and loading up a boat full of innocent people to make them your slaves. I would never assert that that kind of slavery is chosen in any way.

But ask yourself this question: What am I addicted to? What do I feel like I keep doing even though I don't want to? What in my life has me in a vice grip so tight that I don't see a way out?
And then ask yourself this: How did I get here?

I'd venture to say that the answer every single person would eventually come to for that second question is this: I made a choice. How did I become addicted to drugs? To pornography? To taking risks? To eating crap? To exercise? To sex? To attention? To watching television?
You made a choice. It may have been one particular day that you gave in to a friend's urging and tried marijuana. Or watched a movie you knew you shouldn't have. Or decided that you didn't care that you weren't hungry, you wanted to feel better, and that brownie looks like a good enough way out to you.
Our circumstances may convince us that, hey, we don't have a choice. This is what life handed to me. My family treated me like crap and I didn't know what else to do. No one expected anything better from me, so this is what I thought I was left with.
Or this one: Everyone else seems to be having so much fun, living it up. Why can't I just have a little fun? No strings attached, right?

Chances are, if you are still reading this, you have realized that there were indeed strings attached. You didn't see them coming, you thought you had it all under control, but something's just not feeling right. You're not getting the happiness you thought was coming to you, and you feel like the hole you're in keeps getting deeper and deeper - so much so that you don't see that you could ever climb out. Some of you who are reading this are looking back at the life you used to lead, at chains that used to hold you and nodding your head, saying "Yeah, that definitely used to be me." But something happened. One way or another you turned your life around. I'm here to offer hope to those of you who don't see the light, who can't see a way out. You have options. You can stand up again, feel the weight come off your shoulders, move past the person you used to be and embrace freedom and life!

But if you think it's easy...if you aren't willing to try unless it's easy...you aren't ready to get out of that hole. You still can't see the bigger picture. And I'll be here to talk to you when you do.

Slavery is a choice. Romans 6:16 - 23 (it's long, but seriously, don't give up on it because it is just plain AWESOME) says: Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

19 I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You see, if you give your life to Christ, not only can you free yourself from the masters you are under now, the addictions that claim your time, your energy, and your happiness, but you can also receive the joy, abundant life, and eternal life in heaven that come from God and God alone! Struggles, trials, tragedies still strike. But I have the hope and joy of heaven holding me up, giving me freedom from the chains of sin that used to hold me down! My deepest desire is that you would come to know that too! It can be better than what you've been living with! You can find peace that is greater than you ever imagined, contentment, JOY, if you just stop trying to make your own way and choose to follow the One who cleared the way for us. The wages of sin may be death, but the gift of God is eternal life! Please message me if you want to know more or if you have any questions! Jesus loves you and so do I!