A Prisoner to?

Harry Emerson Fosdick once said:

Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it.
Bitterness paralyzes life; love empowers it.
Bitterness sours life; love sweetens it.
Bitterness sickens life; love heals it.
Bitterness blinds life; love anoints its eyes.

It is concerning how in the day in which we live that pain and suffering comes racing into meet so many. In pain and suffering, everything has opportunity to get at us. We become a target to be bruised, taunted, mocked, and belittled. Our anxieties bring stress. We are numbed and start to lose vision. We are held prisoners! Our flesh asks, "Where is the Savior?" Doesn't He care one bit? In some situations, it would be far more logical to agree with rejection than believe God really cares. And that is why I am offering my two cents but remember I’m not holding you prisoner to read or agree with my two pennies. You can turn me off right now.

What is my advice? Guard your liberty! Losing our liberty allows hurt (or pain) to turn into bitterness and hate. It is often said that survival goes to the fittest. I say, survival goes to the bravest - daring to stand when there seems nothing to stand for, daring to speak when the whole world is silent, and daring to love when it would be easier to hate. Without liberty, life becomes a prison, not of iron bars but made of life's cares, intermingled with the hurtful/condemning attitudes of others who we highly respected and honored. It is then that darkness and torment start their rule. Our confidence and self-worth becomes void. We start to believe we are of little use to Him, never be used of Him, and that gifts/talents given by Him are overrated. It is then the worst thing happens - we start our journey away from the things that the Lord gave us to use for His glory. We can't see that the Lord is taking us to a new place in Him. We just want to complacently stay where we've felt comfortable for years. We don't want to change - go in His direction. In other words, we are bent on locking our self in a dark, dreary place because it's easier to do that than venture out and do the Will of the Master. God Help Us!!!!

If we find ourselves a prisoner, in our darkness, let's sincerely, earnestly pray that His Will be done - not ours! Prayer is the key that will loosen us from our personal prison. Remember, Jesus never leaves us; we are the ones who leave Him. And if you don’t agree as yet, let me ask: How can we complain of our cross being too heavy for we have not nor will we ever have to carry a cross to Calvary? He's already paid that price (for our liberty).

Free your heart from the bonds of bitterness.

Why?

The Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons, so honestly, why do we place people into certain categories? Namely, those worthy of our attention, those not worthy of our attention. Why is a person with title more important than the person living in a drug or homeless shelter or impoverished in a ghetto? Why do we continually distance ourselves from those that society has made us think as undesirable? Why do we choose who should know the Lord, and discard those for whom we feel there is no hope? Shouldn't we see mankind as our Lord sees it - Souls (every soul) needing Him and His touch.

My Prayer:
Lord, may my heart continually be open to Your Will so that Your Spirit can be made manifest in my countenance, actions and words. Don't let me get caught up in the material, financial and political happenings surrounding me every day but may I focus my attention on people who are hurting and without. Those who are in desperate need of peace, joy and happiness. Don't let me look at their present lot in life but look to what you are capable of doing with their lives. I know I can't win the world Lord, but let me go down trying because it is the cause that truly counts. Amen.