Bring the prisoners out of the prison house. That is what the Prophet Isaiah says Jesus came to do. The other day as I read this, I caught a vision myself standing in a prison with the door wide open. I didn’t want to leave! I realized that when I don’t fully let God into my motives and intents, I am keeping control to myself. That means I am refusing to let Him be in charge because I want to remain in charge. That means I am not free. If I have given my life over to Jesus, them why wouldn’t I want Him to have every part of my life? Why would I desire to stay in a prison house? Mistrust? Fear? My old ways are like a prison. I am bound by fear. It is a have fear of losing control. It is a fear of letting God have all my ways. Fear produces anxiety and lack of trust in me. In order to come out of the prison house, I will need to trust God more than I trust myself. By the way, how do things work out when I trust myself? Not so well. I think of all the alcohol I consumed. So why don’t I fully trust Jesus now? I am not sure, but I think it is from childhood happenings. However, I know if I ask God to help me give this trust issue completely over to Him, it will be done. When I finally asked God to make me willing to give Him my alcoholism 17 years ago, it was done. He has been fully able to answer this pray many times since then. The prayer is simple.
Father in
heaven, please make my heart willing. I give you my willingness to be willing. I
give you control. Amen.
