You are most likely wondering what that picture is all about...well I'll tell you in just a minute and it will make so much sense! I was in the car yesterday running errands and Focus on the Family was on so I was haphazardly listening to it. My mind was busy on other things really. But all of the sudden I tuned in to this story a guy was sharing and it was like God tuned everything else out so I could hear this. It was really just like that! Very strange! But as I listened to the story this guy was sharing (have no idea who he was!) something began to reach not just my ears, but by heart. The story was about how in Asia they still use elephants to do most of their heavy lifting and labor. At night they simply tie a string around the one of the back legs of the elephant and they stay right there and don't wander. Of course something that big, that does all this hard labor everyday could break this tie in an instant if it really wanted to. It doesn't though, because at a very young age, they would use heavy chains to train the elephant and after trying and trying to get away they simply gave up. It would cause them pain and therefore the act of pulling against the chain was something they didn't want to do. They eventually use lighter things and finally get done to a simple rope and wood tie and the elephant goes no where. I was pretty sad after hearing this story to say the least. But the guy goes on to say that the elephant is much like us in the fact that we have things in our life that people have said or done to us or just things we have believed about ourselves and we are just like that elephant. Too scared to move for fear it will be painful. God really spoke straight into my heart after hearing these words and I realized that I have many thoughts about who I am that keep me frozen in that one spot, too afraid to move for fear of what others may think or worse yet that I'm just not plain good enough to do better for myself. The lies that somewhere I picked up along my journey are holding me captive to that invisible chain. I'm working on changing those thoughts and ideas one step at a time and seeing myself as Papa sees me. It's been a life long process and there are days that I fall flat on my face trying to pull against the chains and days I'm just frozen in fear of moving. It's a process and I'm learning to take one step at a time and give myself the grace to not be so hard on myself.
One of those profound moments
Aug 19, 2009
You are most likely wondering what that picture is all about...well I'll tell you in just a minute and it will make so much sense! I was in the car yesterday running errands and Focus on the Family was on so I was haphazardly listening to it. My mind was busy on other things really. But all of the sudden I tuned in to this story a guy was sharing and it was like God tuned everything else out so I could hear this. It was really just like that! Very strange! But as I listened to the story this guy was sharing (have no idea who he was!) something began to reach not just my ears, but by heart. The story was about how in Asia they still use elephants to do most of their heavy lifting and labor. At night they simply tie a string around the one of the back legs of the elephant and they stay right there and don't wander. Of course something that big, that does all this hard labor everyday could break this tie in an instant if it really wanted to. It doesn't though, because at a very young age, they would use heavy chains to train the elephant and after trying and trying to get away they simply gave up. It would cause them pain and therefore the act of pulling against the chain was something they didn't want to do. They eventually use lighter things and finally get done to a simple rope and wood tie and the elephant goes no where. I was pretty sad after hearing this story to say the least. But the guy goes on to say that the elephant is much like us in the fact that we have things in our life that people have said or done to us or just things we have believed about ourselves and we are just like that elephant. Too scared to move for fear it will be painful. God really spoke straight into my heart after hearing these words and I realized that I have many thoughts about who I am that keep me frozen in that one spot, too afraid to move for fear of what others may think or worse yet that I'm just not plain good enough to do better for myself. The lies that somewhere I picked up along my journey are holding me captive to that invisible chain. I'm working on changing those thoughts and ideas one step at a time and seeing myself as Papa sees me. It's been a life long process and there are days that I fall flat on my face trying to pull against the chains and days I'm just frozen in fear of moving. It's a process and I'm learning to take one step at a time and give myself the grace to not be so hard on myself.
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Oh Heather....this is so profound and touching. Thanks so much for sharing it! You've touched my heart and given me pause for thought. I, too am bound by too many strings!