“We must discard whatever will hold us down. We must discard the wrong priorities that keep us from what matters most.”- John Ortberg
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us.”- Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
In Chapter 5 (“Untie Your Ropes”) of When the Game is Over, John Ortberg presents a list of things that keep us from what matters most. Things that hold us down include: fear, doubt, a misguided sense of inadequacy, a voice that wants to keep you down, a past mistake or failure, habit, comfort, or laziness. Thus, Pastor Ortberg states, “Freedom starts with naming the rope.”
Classic writers on the spiritual life referred to this process as detachment. However, even though detachment seems to imply a remote or uninvolved approach to life, it means just the opposite. Hence, John states, “detachment . . . means that I am so committed to being rich toward God that I seek to be free of any encumbrances that could trap me.”
Consequently, John describes three barriers to naming the rope. The author talks about the first one today. John covers the final two in the next blog.
1. Sometimes our ropes are invisible to us. Outwardly, we resent their limitations. But on the inside, we secretly express gladness that they relieve us of the burden of freedom and risk. In conclusion, Pastor Ortberg offers this quote by Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding from the movie The Shawshank Redemption. It speaks of the fear of freedom in one who’s been a prisoner too long:
“At first, these walls, you hate them. They make you crazy. After a while you get used to ’em, don’t notice ’em anymore. Then comes the day you realize you need them.”
Today’s question: What wrong priorities must you discard? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Knowing what’s behind the resistance”