Chained to the past

When they train small elephants the owners chain one leg to a heavy stake. The babes pull and pull on the chain, day after day, to break free from the chains and the stake.

They tug and grunt until they become so frustrated when they can’t break loose that they quit trying. Later on, as full-grown adults they can tie elephants to a stick, and they won’t attempt to break loose. They learned long ago that breaking free seemed impossible.

Aren’t we like these perilous pachyderms some times? Something in our past, something so awful and terrifying that it chains us to crippling fear. We don’t talk about it. We don’t share it with our closest friends or spouses. We keep it locked deep in our tortured souls.

There is only one way to break free from those chains. For good. Rather, there is only One with the power and the grace to break them and a deep, loving desire to loose those chains and set us free.

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 8:32

The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. 2 Timothy 4:18

“Oh, right. That’s easy for you to say. Throw a couple of scriptures at me to make me feel better. But I don’t. You don’t know where I’ve been. You don’t know what I’ve done. You don’t have a clue what has me chained to my past.”

No, I don’t. But Jesus does.

Jesus knows everything about you. He knows what you’re thinking right now. He knows everything you have ever done, and everything you’ll ever do. He’s been with you all the time. He loves you more than you can imagine.

He can break those horrible chains. That’s what He does. That’s what He lives for.

All we have to do is decide to let Him.