Stuck in a Broken Place
When I was little, I used to be obsessed with watching old movies. My favorites were Shirley Temple movies. One I always went back to was the story of 'Heidi'. Of the entire storyline, I was obsessed with the last part of the movie.
For those of you who need a refresher or have never seen it, the part I was so fixated on was the little sick girl. There was a story within the story. A rich father (who means well) hires a nanny to take care of his daughter who had an accident. The nanny does minimal to nothing in helping the daughter get better. The father invites the orphan girl 'Heidi' to live with them (basically becoming a foster parent to her) because he's told her previous living conditions were horrendous. The father stays almost completely out of the picture, and the nanny is placed in control. When Heidi realizes that the nanny is using the daughters illness to maintain control of the father and also secure her position, Heidi pushes the daughter to get better and walk out of the wheelchair she's been captive in.
How could someone be held captive by an illness? How did the girl not know she could get better? Funny thing is, sometimes our heartaches can hold us as captive as that little girl in the wheelchair. Our thoughts become consumed with the doubts. Some planted in our minds by other people (like the nanny in the story), and some by ourselves. You could say fear crippled the girl. I've heard plenty of sermons on conquering the demons of fear and doubt. Honestly most of those sermons left me more confused and with less hope than I had faith I'd find.
Truth be told I think the reason behind my fixation with the sick girl was because I saw all of my insecurities at face value when I watched her. She knew she had a loving father, she knew she was well provided for and loved, but she failed to find her identity in anything but her circumstances. This caused her to stay crippled. It was if her comfort was in her problem not her solution.
For me, I can recall times where I inadvertently sabotaged something in my life to stay in a place where I was comfortable. I didn't know better because I didn't want better. I was captive not by my illness, but by my mentality. There's a certain comfortability in being ignorant to a future of better.
So many people feel their heart pains and become so comfortable with it that they confuse it with normal. Even if they don't like it, they stay stuck because they lack faith. All the girl needed to do was have faith that she could preserver and work hard at getting better. Once she did that, she was able to see the fruits of her faith.
Faith will always cause you to trust in what you can't see for certain. Hurt blinds us and binds us to a condition where we lack trust. Not only do we lack trust, but we don't even know we need it. If we lack trust, we limit our faith. If we limit our faith, we place limitations on all that God is. We limit God on using us to the fullest of our potential, and lose sight of our purpose.
No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, no matter the ideas we play over and over in our head, no matter the brokenness or pain we encounter, we have to focus on the one thing which has always remained constant and in control. God himself. There is only one Person who holds eternal hope. There is only one Creator who knows your purpose. There is only one God who deserves your everything, because in exchange He gives you everything beyond even what you deserve. You were designed to be so much. You were designed to worship and glorify the King of Kings. You were created to be a beacon of light that shines bright flooding this dark world with truth.
Sometimes it's hard to remember or even place your faith in truth, but there's nothing you could ever be more sure of. So don't let yourself be held captive by your shortcomings and insecurities. Don't be ignorant or unaware of the freedom we have in Christ. Don't limit God in your life. Know you're loved, so much that God will never stop reaching out to you and fighting for your freedom. Even when you lack the words to pray, His Spirit is interceding on your behalf. Even if it takes just being still, take the moment to know that He is God. That's the best hope anyone could ask for. Even if His mercy tomorrow is just you hearing of His love, see His mercy. It's more than enough. It's completely undeserved, yet available every morning. Instead of allowing the lows become a trap, be humbled. Find your strength, be renewed, and live in the hope that is our Savior Jesus Christ. By His grace alone, you can do this.
For those of you who need a refresher or have never seen it, the part I was so fixated on was the little sick girl. There was a story within the story. A rich father (who means well) hires a nanny to take care of his daughter who had an accident. The nanny does minimal to nothing in helping the daughter get better. The father invites the orphan girl 'Heidi' to live with them (basically becoming a foster parent to her) because he's told her previous living conditions were horrendous. The father stays almost completely out of the picture, and the nanny is placed in control. When Heidi realizes that the nanny is using the daughters illness to maintain control of the father and also secure her position, Heidi pushes the daughter to get better and walk out of the wheelchair she's been captive in.
How could someone be held captive by an illness? How did the girl not know she could get better? Funny thing is, sometimes our heartaches can hold us as captive as that little girl in the wheelchair. Our thoughts become consumed with the doubts. Some planted in our minds by other people (like the nanny in the story), and some by ourselves. You could say fear crippled the girl. I've heard plenty of sermons on conquering the demons of fear and doubt. Honestly most of those sermons left me more confused and with less hope than I had faith I'd find.
Truth be told I think the reason behind my fixation with the sick girl was because I saw all of my insecurities at face value when I watched her. She knew she had a loving father, she knew she was well provided for and loved, but she failed to find her identity in anything but her circumstances. This caused her to stay crippled. It was if her comfort was in her problem not her solution.
For me, I can recall times where I inadvertently sabotaged something in my life to stay in a place where I was comfortable. I didn't know better because I didn't want better. I was captive not by my illness, but by my mentality. There's a certain comfortability in being ignorant to a future of better.
So many people feel their heart pains and become so comfortable with it that they confuse it with normal. Even if they don't like it, they stay stuck because they lack faith. All the girl needed to do was have faith that she could preserver and work hard at getting better. Once she did that, she was able to see the fruits of her faith.
Faith will always cause you to trust in what you can't see for certain. Hurt blinds us and binds us to a condition where we lack trust. Not only do we lack trust, but we don't even know we need it. If we lack trust, we limit our faith. If we limit our faith, we place limitations on all that God is. We limit God on using us to the fullest of our potential, and lose sight of our purpose.
No matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, no matter the ideas we play over and over in our head, no matter the brokenness or pain we encounter, we have to focus on the one thing which has always remained constant and in control. God himself. There is only one Person who holds eternal hope. There is only one Creator who knows your purpose. There is only one God who deserves your everything, because in exchange He gives you everything beyond even what you deserve. You were designed to be so much. You were designed to worship and glorify the King of Kings. You were created to be a beacon of light that shines bright flooding this dark world with truth.
Sometimes it's hard to remember or even place your faith in truth, but there's nothing you could ever be more sure of. So don't let yourself be held captive by your shortcomings and insecurities. Don't be ignorant or unaware of the freedom we have in Christ. Don't limit God in your life. Know you're loved, so much that God will never stop reaching out to you and fighting for your freedom. Even when you lack the words to pray, His Spirit is interceding on your behalf. Even if it takes just being still, take the moment to know that He is God. That's the best hope anyone could ask for. Even if His mercy tomorrow is just you hearing of His love, see His mercy. It's more than enough. It's completely undeserved, yet available every morning. Instead of allowing the lows become a trap, be humbled. Find your strength, be renewed, and live in the hope that is our Savior Jesus Christ. By His grace alone, you can do this.
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
-Philippians 4:11-13
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