Jailbreak!
By Elin Henderson
“…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
I Corinthians 10:5b (NKJV)
Your day is progressing as usual when suddenly the sound of alarms fills your head. “Emergency! Jailbreak, Cellblock A!” Quickly, you run to see what the problem is when you realize that the escaped convicts of Cellblock A have opened Cellblocks B and C! Now, true chaos begins to fill your world. Before you know it, the top security inmates in solitary confinement are working their way free from their cells! What do you do??By Elin Henderson
“…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
I Corinthians 10:5b (NKJV)
Do you ever feel that there are jailbreaks in the prisons of your mind? Those thoughts that you believed were locked up with the keys thrown away suddenly dig a hole through the floor and begin to wreak havoc in the world of your mind? We all have different levels of security that we think are impenetrable. Some thoughts get detained in low security facilities, while others are sealed away in quiet recesses where few know about them (if any). Yet, at different times, when our guards are down, these thoughts break free. In their escape, they bring others along with them. Before long, your carefully controlled mind becomes a cesspool of unwanted escapees!
There is no parole for “good behavior” amongst the errant thoughts. They must be taken captive and sent back to the confines of their cells. Unfortunately, they are often joined by cellmates with similar tendencies and issues. One group of criminals called “Woeful Worries” has a tendency to overtake us when we are overwhelmed. Another gang, the “Guilt Gang,” stages a coup when we are already down-and-out about ourselves! Then there are those high security “Past Pain Prisoners” who lurk in the dark corners of solitary confinement where we try to keep them quiet and inactive. The list goes on….
It is a full-time job keeping a vigilant eye on the imprisoned thoughts of our minds. They are often repeat offenders that you might have to lock up every 5 minutes until the phase passes. But, while we are the prison matrons so to speak, we aren’t alone! There is the Boss in Charge -- the Architect and Creator -- the One who built the prison and knows its every nook and cranny. He’s on call 24/7, always there to help! Not only that, He is willing to help with guard duty, Philippians 4:7b “…will guard your hearts and MINDS through Christ Jesus.” When we catch an errant thought on the loose, our job is to bring it back to the Big Boss to deal with, lock away again and help guard the cell door!
GOING DEEPER:
1. What kinds of thoughts have been breaking free from the prisons of your mind lately?
2. What promises does the Big Boss offer about His ability to deal with even the worst of escapees? Will you act on them today?
FURTHER READING:
II Timothy 1:12; Philippians 3:21; Ephesians 3:20
Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to ten-year-old Callie and eight-year-old Elias.
