Freedom from the inlaws

Are God and freedom connected for you...at all?

I think the closest I have ever come to prison is a sick day at boarding academy. When you we're pronounced sick by the nurse you were in your room all day no outs except for walking down the hall to the bathroom. They would even bring you a take out tray from the cafeteria so wouldn't have to go out to get food. I have to admit I faked sick a couple of times no doubt. It was great all morning, I basically just slept in. But come evening I was usually a little stir crazy. A 12x12 cinder block dorm room can get a little old after a while.

To tell you truth though, my most serious captor has been depression. I don't know if you have ever dealt with depression or not. I have never gotten to the clinical proportions my father has, or others I have known. Mine has been a high functioning low grade depression. I still go to work, and get stuff done, but I'm not really engaged with the people around me. I don't have the energy to really enjoy any of the things I am doing. There have been days when I don't have work to get me out of the house I find myself sleeping on the couch on and off most of the afternoon. It feels like I am just under the surface of the water. All I need to do is a good kick and my head would break the surface, but I just don't have the energy.

I have a feeling this is what life under Laban felt like for Jacob. In Gen 31 it describes their relationship. Jacob has been working for Laban 20 years. It started out as 7 years for Rachel, but he got Leah so he worked 7 more for Rachel. Then he had to work 6 more for any of the livestock he has increased for Laban over the years. Laban has changed his wages 10 times. It must have felt like Jacob almost had his head above water and then Laban would shove him back down with another change.

While God is all for perserverance and long suffering, they are even fruits of the spirit, he is also against opression of our freedom. It is God who has brought Jacob to this place and it is God who calls him out. Enough is enough and it is time for Jacob to take what is his and move on. So he does, Laban chases him down too. But God steps in again and warns Laban not to do anything stupid. So Jacob is finally able to break free from the tyrany of his inlaws. This freedom in God's leading is not without challenge the next chapter is the meeting with Esau. God's freedom usually comes with challenge. The challenge to grow, the challenge to do some hard things, but it is freedom.

I have found freedom from this depression as well. I am an advocate of meds and couseling both which gave me the courage I needed to begin to make important changes in my life. The freedom has come with challenge, the more freedom that I have the more God challenges me to do. But there is an excitement in life. Emotional healing is hard work. You can't just let it happen you have to fight to break free from the prison of depression and emotional brokeness and not every day is a good day. But the days are getting brighter and the air is fresher.

God has given me strength to endure the oppression and now he is giving me strength to break out in freedom. I pray the same for you whether you oppression be depression, addiction, emotional numbness, emotional chaos, stuckness in work, struggles with your church organization, or the messiness of your house. What ever it is may God call you and strengthen you to deliverance and the strength to make things better!