DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” ~John 8:36

I know that I am probably a whole year behind everybody else, but for the first time last night, I watched Tyler Perry’s movie “Why Did I Get Married”. Excellent movie. Superb acting, writing, and directing.

As a married woman, I laughed and even cried with (and at) some of the characters. The movie was about four (well, actually five) couples and their ups and downs. I am most impressed with the character played by Jill Scott. She was a sweet, beautiful, spiritual, and unfortunately an extremely naïve woman who suffered the verbal and emotional abuse from her jerk of a husband. She loved this man and wanted nothing but for her marriage to work. She was willing to endure his constant hurting and cruel remarks to her, as well as heartless rejection as a woman and total disrespect as his wife. She put up with it because she was not free as a person. She built her existence and validity around him. Sadly, he broke her down at every opportunity he got.

She began to see herself as he saw her; not as the wonderful person she really was. Her soul and spirit was in bondage to him.

I’ve never been abused as this character was, yet I related to her. For, I understand what it means to seek validation and approval from others. From my husband, yes, but also from others. I understand what it is to desire to be accepted and to have the need to fit in. I know what it is to feel unappealing, undesirable, and unloved.

Yet, I can rejoice because I also know what It is to come to the realization that self-imposed chains is a trick of the enemy who wants us not to live or walk in the freedom and liberation that is already ours. When we look to man to justify us, we will fall every time. When we seek approval from others, it diminishes who we really are.

We have to realize where our freedom comes from. We have been set free when Jesus Christ died for our sins and we received this gift of freedom when we accepted Him as our Savior. Because of this free gift, we have the right to hold our heads up, walk uprightly, and carry ourselves like the royalty that we are. No one……….nobody…….should make us feel inadequate and insignificant. They don’t have the right to do so, and we shouldn’t allow them to even try. It doesn’t matter what they say, or don’t say; what they do, or don’t do. We should know who we are!

Declare your independence today!