Still Struggle? Stop Tugging!

Do you recall the childhood game of Tug o’ War?  Two teams grab opposite ends of a long rope that has a marker tied in the middle.  The leader shouts “GO!” and each team pulls as hard as they can to get the marker (and the other team) over onto their side of the winning line.  Depending on which team you are on, it can be brutal!  Raw, bleeding hands, bruised knees, aching and torn muscles…I recall this all too well!

So why do we still struggle?

Why does it feel as if our hands still bleed, muscles are torn and our knees are often bruised from hitting the ground…aren’t we victors in Christ (Romans 8:37)?

Yes.  Absolutely.  No other option for a believer…but yet we still struggle.  And we openly share our struggles with our family, friends, neighbors and anyone that will listen.

We have come to accept the lie that we will always struggle.

I’ll get to the point now.  We struggle because we won’t let go of the rope.  Jesus said He carried it ALL for us, so why do we still insist on carrying our burdens when HE ALREADY DID?

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.  By his wounds you have been healed.”  1 Peter 2:24

As long as we continue to believe and say that we still struggle with issues, we will.  There is the power of life AND death in our tongues (Proverbs 18:21).  Say you still struggle, and you can bet that you will.  Say that something no longer has a grip on you, and you will be free indeed!

Look at the picture above.  See yourself?  See the sin that so easily binds us?  It’s the rope that you…yes, YOU are still hanging onto.  Tightly, I might add.  And unfortunately you have company in your struggle (maybe all the well-meaning friends that pat your back and say they hope things will get better “one day”, instead of encouraging you in God’s Word for freedom now).

NOW DO YOU SEE JESUS?

He’s the One that grips the other end of your struggle.  He’s the One that tells you to lay down your burden (sin and it’s consequences) for His way is light (Matthew 11:30).  No struggle.  Just freedom from what ensnares you.  No more grief.  No more disease.  No more addiction.  No more depression, anger, bitterness, hopelessness, despair…

THIS PICTURE IS BRUTAL.

But this is how most believers – yes, believers! – still live.  Ensnared by their sin.  Bound by their struggles.  All because you won’t let go of the rope.

Today I challenge you to let go of the rope.

Jesus took sin and its consequences and became sin for us.  He carried it all to the cross and gave us freedom instead!  It’s a free gift to anyone that cries out to Jesus to be born again (Romans 10:13)!  And it’s simple…

Just let go of the rope.

Now, Beloved, step upon the water where Jesus beckons to you!

FREED TO WALK ON WATER!