Page 34 - July 2015 Catalyst

BREAKING THE CHAINS
By: Luella Redfern
In life, there are so many challenges that we allow to bind us and keep us in bondage. I’m sure everyone has at least one binding habit that they have taken from childhood. This recycling life experi- ence that you have held onto and failed to let go of has wreaked havoc in your life. We all have something in our past or pres- ent that we try to shake but find it difficult to do so.
I struggled and continue to struggle with “patience.” I remember growing up, when my mother wanted something done, she wanted it to be done “NOW” not later. Now that I am a mother, I can see that
of my 2 year-old granddaughter. Through my process of grief and many emotions, in obedience to God, I chose to forgive and God brought me into true forgive- ness. Sometimes it seems like it’s tough to break these chains. But there is power, in the name of Jesus, to break every chain that hinders us or causes pain to us, and others. Do you believe there is power in the name of Jesus to break your chains?
Many of us are bound by the fatal distrac- tions that we fail to realize are sins, pride, gluttony, jealousy, anger and greed, just to name a few. Instead of being happy for family members and others who achieve
“If these chains bind our minds, our thoughts will be also, and since every action we take and every decision we make begins with a thought, our actions and decisions can be distorted by the chains of past memories.”
I have inherited similar traits from my mother. I want to break that chain of impatience, so I don’t pass it on to my children. I have also struggled with for- giveness. The ability to pardon someone who has hurt me without holding resent- ment was not something in which I was interested. Then I suffered the tragic loss
great things, we are jealous. We are afraid to ask fellow Christians to pray with us in our times of need because of our pride. We can’t get enough to eat or buy enough shoes to satisfy our need for more plea- sure. My husband often says to me, “don’t become ‘an angry black woman.’” Under- standing anger in all it’s forms and inten-
34 CityLight.org
July 2015