Came across this gem while editing an unpublished novel I hadn’t worked on in two years. In context, it was said by a member of an oppressed fantasy race about literal oppression by visible enemies who kept them comfortable, providing them everything but freedom and weapons to defend themselves with, and “culling” folks who made a fuss or when they became worth more dead than alive. Their people did have the ability to run outside of their enemies’ borders and settle in the wilderness, but such freedom would be hard, so they rarely did so long as they were comfortable in their oppression.
Most of us don’t have such problems, yet how often do we have areas of spiritual oppression or other problems in our lives? Freedom is often a hard battle. So long as we can avoid the issue, make ourselves comfortable in the condition, whether we embrace it as a core “normal” part of ourselves or continue to dislike it, we won’t be motivated to fight to change it. Most of us don’t repent, face our helpless condition, and cry out for freedom and become willing to work hard for it until the pain of slavery becomes intolerable.
It also struck me this character was an adult, speaking to a child, who gave her a blank stare, not understanding at all. While this may be true for children, too, they tend to be more humble, more readily admit to weakness, and more readily cry out for help.
How much pain must God allow us to go through before we come to the end of ourselves and surrender fully? We shall overcome only by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony of this truth. (Revelation 12:11) Is it time for us to stop being strong, enduring pain with our Good Christian platitudes and forced Good Christian smiles and take the posture of a weak child, honestly bring the broken pieces of our hearts to God to mend?
Let’s get uncomfortable, face the slavery in our lives, and ask God for strength to endure the hardships on the road to freedom.
[tweetthis]So long as we’re comfortable in slavery, we’re unwilling to face the hardships of freedom.[/tweetthis]