After a long day the first thing I look forward to is going home. As soon as I lock the door I let out a sigh of relief because I’m now in a place where the outside world cannot get to me. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy interacting with people, love it really, but sometimes I need a break. My home is my go to, the place where I can truly be myself. I like to unwind watching YouTube videos, reading a good book, or watching a favorite show. Once in awhile, I’ll get inspired and head to the kitchen to try a new recipe but those days have been far and few between (Note to self: I need to get back to that). In my house I feel safe, comfortable, and unguarded.
A few days ago I came across this scripture in Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” House of bondage? That doesn’t sound pleasant! I got curious and looked up the definition of house but found that a definition for home was what I was looking for. Yep, another Merriam-Webster reference, sorry!
Simple Definition of Home
: the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives
Simple enough, but what got me thinking was the last part…where a person lives. I started to think about any time in my life where I was living in a “house of bondage.” I came up with a few and reflected on them for a moment. Times when I let peoples words and actions determine my self-worth, when I let my feelings determine my actions, or when I listened to the lies of the world instead of the truth of God. I don’t remember when it happened but one day I looked around and realized I was in the wrong house. The place where I felt safe, comfortable, and unguarded became a place that was suffocating; full of things I didn’t like. The house that I was once familiar with and loved was now a place that I longed to get away from. This house was me.
I felt like a prisoner in my own body. Trapped by peoples opinions and bound by my own thoughts and sometimes even my own actions. I kept most things to myself and maintained a happy appearance on the outside but inside I was struggling. I gained freedom at times but because it was due to my own efforts it was always short lived. It wasn’t until I started talking to people I trusted and replacing the lies with God’s truths that I started to gain permanent freedom. But honestly, I have to give all the credit to God. He brought me out of my house of bondage by first showing me that I had let too much of the world in and not enough of Him, and by placing people in my life who had similar struggles. Once I knew I could trust them I let down my guard and started handing them all the junk I had taken in. It was a little scary at first, to be so vulnerable, but as time went on it got easier and my chains started to fall. During this time I realized that talking helps me to heal. There is something about verbalizing my thoughts that allows me to process and release the things I was never suppose to hold onto. Also, I started to take in the positive feedback and encouragement from my friends, reminded myself who God says I am, and that He loves me even in my mess. It was a process, and there are still some things I’m working on, but I can say that I’m back enjoying who I am again!
So my question to you is where are you living? If you are living in a house of bondage I want you to know that there is freedom! It’s a process but as you take the necessary steps you will begin to break free of the chains and experience the freedom you were always meant to live this life in.