Bondage can be deceiving

Bondage can be deceiving.  It doesn’t always look like we think it will. 

Bondage doesn’t always look like a cold, iron cuff clamped around our ankle with chain link after chain link leading to a heavy iron ball at the end. 

No, bondage can look very different. It can look much different because the deceiver knows we are more likely to recognize his schemes when they come in the packages for which we have prepared our hearts and our eyes.  So, because we have gotten smarter, he has gotten craftier.

Now he disguises.  He wraps his same old schemes in new packaging, more alluring packaging.  And this new packaging is exactly what gets us. If we were to see the ball and chain, we would surely make every effort to turn and go the other way.  But now his instruments of bondage are disguised as harmless things, good things, and even as useful and commonly accepted things.  

Little by little he infiltrates.  He slowly blurs our once 20-20 vision. He slowly grays the once black and white areas. And before we know it, he has got us where he wants us. Clink. The cuff closes around our ankle. He has successfully established his stronghold.

And it’s usually at this point when we see through the false packaging.  We see that this seemingly harmless thing, can in fact be harmful.  We see that this seemingly good thing, maybe isn’t so good after all.  We see that this seemingly useful thing, maybe isn’t the most useful in hindsight. We finally see through the packaging and see the instrument for what it is—the ball and chain that has enslaved us.  It consumes way too much of our time.  It distracts us from the things that are important. And it leaves us feeling empty and unsatisfied.

In what area of your life can you feel the enemy closing in with the iron cuff in hand, ready to slap it around your ankle? What tool is he using to distract you? What tool is he using to make you feel empty and unsatisfied?

Pieces of Jessika ©