"A Chain is Only as Strong as It's Weakest Link"

"A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link." I remember the first time I heard this quote. I believe it was my Junior or Senior year of high school and one of our first soccer practices of the season. My coach had us all sitting around him and he had a long length of chain that were all connected in a circle. Each one had a tagged piece of tape to it, and he passed it around and had us write our initials on it. He explained that much like this chain, our team was only as strong as our weakest member. It was vital that we all worked together, and that we didn't leave the weak behind, but come behind them and help them keep up with the rest of the team. That is what I LOVED about playing soccer at WCA. Coach didn't care if you couldn't play a lick of soccer. All he cared about was that you were willing to work your butt off, willing to learn, and willing to treat every person on our team as your family and trust them with your life. That was it. He didn't kick people off due to lack of skill, (thank goodness for that in my earlier years haha) he literally only kicked people off due to lack of commitment to the team, or performing poorly in school. And let me tell you- our team kicked BUTT. We went from a "club" team (basically not recognized by MHSA as an actual team) to my coach ONLY letting us play public school teams because the other private school teams didn't challenge us enough to prepare us for districts early in the season. WHAT?! Like how is that even possible? He took a bunch of girls who had never touched a soccer ball plus girls who had been playing since they could crawl and taught us how to communicate, play well, and kick butt, and most importantly have the time of our lives and find a sport that we loved. Everytime we failed, he told us to get back up and try again until we mastered what he wanted us to do. And we became an almost unbreakable chain because we honored our weaknesses.

I was thinking about almost the opposite of this concept earlier today. I have had "Break Every Chain" by Paxton Ingram (The Voice) on repeat alllll day y'all. My Pastor- Pastor Bill (PB) has been bringing the word, and the Holy Spirit has been showing up in church the past few weeks like nothing I have EVER experienced. Extremely powerful worship and sermons. And yet what have we been talking about? Persecution. God taking us WAY outside of our comfort zones and doing life with Him, His way, 100% trust. And let me tell you- if that doesn't scare you on some level you my friend are a liar. PB was praying with me last week, and said something so profound, it has shaken me up even a week later. He said "Marissa, you have done ministry out of your pain. But this next season I believe that God is calling you to do ministry from your place of victory. But, you don't know what victory is yet. And that is what is going to be start doing with you- teaching you about life as a victor." Honestly yall part of me wanted to be like "What do you mean I'm not a victor?! Do you know what my life has been like?! I'm still alive so I am a victor! What the heck!" But deep down, I knew he was right. Y'all my life hasn't been easy. On the surface to some it looks like it has been, but on the inside I have been fighting a lot of battles for my entire life. I have had many pictures in my mind of being chained up- crying, screaming, fighting, raw, bleeding, desperately trying to get those chains off so I can be free and live my life. And yet no matter what I tried I could NOT get them off. I lived many years in straight up despair, because I truly saw no hope for my life even though I still 100% called myself a Christian. For years people told me "Jesus. Jesus will break your chains." and I was honestly like "BYE. I don't want to hear it. I don't need help. I can do it myself." I was VERY stubborn. (Both sides of my family are extremely stubborn.... what can I say lol) And yet, I finally have started coming to a place of surrender over the past few weeks/ months. Granted, I've had to "surrender" many times throughout my life but this is a level I know that I haven't reached before. 

I was praying about my chains, and praying for Jesus to break them a few weeks ago. I was praying about them again today, and I remembered that quote from above and I realized the key- Jesus knows the weak spot in my chains and he can break Every. Single. One. Every time the song gets to the the part saying "I hear the chains falling" I get the chills because I have literally begun to experience the chains that I have experienced since childhood simply start falling right before my eyes. I've begun to experience real freedom, but also with that real grief and pain as I begin to truly see what the life God has for me looks like. 

As I have been navigating this journey, God has really been calling me out on my heart. Man, I thought my heart was "pure" until we started looking at the fruits of the spirit today..... Like have you ever thought about that? Like if you are actually living in Christ, your life will reflect those fruits. I hope this is a reality check for you as much as it was for me. I thought I was doing pretty well simply because I've started reading my Bible more, and actually praying regularly and whatnot. But the more I learn what my masters voice sounds like, I realize that there is SO much more to faith. There is so much more to prayer. God has begun showing me that this next season is about me learning to love people well who have hurt me, even if they aren't in my life anymore. Our thought have power. Our emotions have power. And it matters where our "power" is coming from yall. If it's coming from our chains? We are gonna stay chained up. If its from Jesus, well stand back yall cuz the chains are coming down. And what's sad? For most of my life I was a "look good" Christian. I went to church 2x a week, prayed sometimes and could answer all the questions in Sunday School, and went to a Christian school, and had Christian friends. As far as I was concerned, I was good. I had my "get out of hell free" card and I was golden. Right? Wrong. Y'all. Jesus has SO much more life for you than this! I remember conversations with a sweet friend from college and she would cry because she was never really sure if she was going to heaven because she wasn't sure if she was following all the rules correctly and that truly consumed her faith life to the point where her fear overshadowed the freedom that Christ already won for her. It still breaks my heart everytime I think about it. Jesus has life that is SO much more abundant than what we can ask or imagine if we can get ourselves to take the leap of faith and trust him. And that is 100% what Jesus has been asking of me the past few years- to give up my perceived control, and to just let him drive.

You see, I used to be much like my old friend from college. I used to be SO scared of God- like if I didn't pray for someone everyday God was just gonna decide that I wasn't good enough and not let me into heaven. But y'all that's not Jesus. I never wanted to pray, read my Bible or even do ministry because it all felt pointless, and like it would never be enough to please him. But that's not the purpose! The purpose is to build relationship with Him, and get to know His Spirit, so that when the time comes and he asks you to go in 100%, you know your masters voice and you jump in 100%.

I know this has probably been ALL over the place. At least my brain feels like it is.... But this is my random thought of the day for you: Are you still living your life like a chained up victim? Or are you living life as a victor in Christ? Yall I NEVER thought I would find freedom from some of the chains that are breaking in my life.... like honestly. And I've loved Jesus as long as I can remember. Can I challenge you sweet friend, will you consider letting Jesus break your chains? Will you consider trying to pray? To try reading your Bible? To ask the hard questions? He so desperately wants to break your chains, and I know 100% He will. You just have to ask him. Thats all. Yall I have watched as my "prayers" (if thats what you want to call them...) for people who have REALLY hurt me go from "Jesus please punish them" to "Jesus, help them find freedom in you. How can I love them well?" Don't be afraid to be angry- He can handle your mess. He can handle every one of your chains even if those chains are abuse, rape, porn, murder, lying, stealing, adultery, loneliness, depression, anxiety, pride, and ANYTHING else. He can do it sweet friends. And I can't help but just want to share this with everyone I know, because I want you to find his freedom too.

So can I challenge you today? Find some time today to go sit with Him. Tell him why you don't like Him, why you are angry and want nothing to do with Him. Take time name your chains. Start asking Him to break them. He's got you friends. And your chains are NOT too much for our savior. If you read this, and need someone on your team to go to battle with you- please feel free to contact me. I'd honestly love to be praying with you and for you for the chains you need broken!