Yoke of Bondage or Freedom?

Stand fast therefore in the 

liberty by which Christ has

made us free, and do not be 

entangled again with a yoke

of bondage.

Galatians 5:1 NKJV

Bondage...just the word creates a lot of unsavory pictures in my mind.  

I for one hate to be confined to the point I will start to panic.  Even as a little girl, I hated to be the one who slept next to the wall.  I would rather sleep on the floor than next to the wall.  So, my older sister Christian slept next to the wall, baby sister Cheryl slept in the middle and I slept on the edge of the bed. Still, if I felt too confined, I would just take my pillow and sleep on the floor.  

So the very word, bondage, is a very uncomfortable word for me.  

Physically, I hate bondage but emotionally, spiritually, my inner self sometimes embraces it.  Why?  Because it is my familiar place inside.  It's the un-forgiveness, the hurts that have kept me warm, the strife, the bitterness, the sinful nature that I was born with, the old haunts that want to destroy me but I have turned the bad memories into warm, fuzzy, deceptive ones.  

Christ has set us free from these self imposed yokes.  We enjoy the freedom for a while and then something happens and we want to give up our Christ given freedom for the yoke of bondage.  Sounds crazy, doesn't it.  It's all too familiar to me.  

Last night, I saw a picture of someone who has hurt some of my family members.  My mind started racing with made up conversations and I was winning the fight.  In my imagination, this person felt as bad as I wanted her to feel.  But then, as I wanted to go to sleep, I was hurting in my heart.  I cried out, "God, please make it stop.  Shut my mind off so I can go to sleep.  No more bitterness and un-forgiveness."  

The bondage of un-forgiveness was trying it's best to bind me up and even steal my sleep.  But I cried unto the LORD and He heard me.  I fell right to sleep.  

It is vain for you to rise up early, 

to sit up late, 

to eat the bread of sorrows: 

for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

-Psalm 127:2 KJV

The scriptures I have shared today are for me and for anyone else out there who struggles with picking up old habits, yokes of bondage.  When we forgive, and allow God to take our yoke from us, the freedom is amazing.  

Today, I choose to walk in the freedom that Christ has given me.  How about you?  What yoke of bondage do you need to let go?  What keeps taking you back into the old life?  Like the song says, "He is here, He is here.  To break the yoke and lift the heavy burden..."  

Even in our attempts to do good, if things don't go our way, we lash out and act as one still bound by our old self.  When we see this, (like I did last night), just call out to God.  He hears us and He will step in...for that I am so thankful. 

I hope you have a freedom filled day.  Living this New Life with joy.