Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Do you remember what it was like to be a child that’s just been told to “pick just one” in the toy section of a store? I sure do. It seemed nearly impossible to pick just one from that beautiful, hot pink tunnel of shelves lined with every Barbie doll a girl could ever want. One came with a dentist chair while another included a dog that walked. WALKED! How was a girl supposed to choose?

As Christians, we are trying our best to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord while simultaneously maneuvering through a world full of so much temptation. It's no surprise that this can often leave us feeling like a kid in the toy aisle.

We have so much to look at and think about. All of it speaks to our human desires. Though we long for a relationship with the Lord that is real and authentic, we are also bombarded with the temptation of sin. One important thing to note about sin: It can be fun. Yep, I said it! It can be so much fun. Before you get too excited, let’s just stop and remind ourselves that this kind of fun doesn’t last forever. It is temporary. At some point, the fun runs out and you’re just left with what the fun left behind. The party mess to clean up, if you will.

Let’s venture back to that toy aisle, shall we?

Choosing a toy at the store wasn’t a common occurrence at my house and usually only took place around birthdays or Christmas for my brother and me. Typically, I enjoyed saving my money and was able to be patient until I had enough to get what I wanted. My brother? He was the total opposite. If he had money, he had to spend it right then or he was going to explode. Nearly every time, he chose what he could afford in the moment which generally were small things that brought him happiness for a short while. As a little boy, he just couldn’t seem to understand how constantly reaching for that temporary fun would ultimately lead to a lack of true fulfillment and joy.

On the outside looking in, it can seem like becoming a Christian means giving up everything that might resemble a good time, as if Jesus doesn’t like us to have any fun at all. However, that’s simply not true. Giving up our worldly desires in order to follow the Lord is like sacrificing that small toy for something greater. Though we may still feel the tug to run back to what might feel good for a moment (sin), as followers of Christ we begin to see how reaching for what He desires for us brings true fulfillment and joy that sin could never provide.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• We have been diving deep into this idea of freedom in Christ. How do you feel that your struggles with temptation and sin have kept you from experiencing this freedom?
  
• Are there any dark areas of your life that you have been hiding away from others or maybe even avoiding facing for yourself? Are you willing to confide in someone else about these areas to move into a place of freedom?
  
• What steps do you feel ready to take today to move yourself from this hold your sin has on you?
  
• If you are struggling to break cycles, find freedom from addiction, or heal broken areas of your life, I encourage you to check out our Care Groups ministry to help walk you through your next steps in finding freedom from these areas.
• Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for being a God who breaks chains and brings freedom to our lives! Search my heart and reveal areas of my life where I am still experiencing bondage! Give me the strength to walk away from things that don't lead me to You. In Jesus' name, amen.