an unchained heart

This morning at our detox centre I was leading "spirit lifter" and I was sharing with the clients from Rob Harley's great book"going the distance". The first chapter is entitled a unchained heart and shares a number of stories including his visit to Nelson Mandella's home and the two pairs of shoes. (If you havent read this book....buy, borrow or beg) As we then talked about the kind of prison environment that he endured- one visitor once per year for 30 mins, one letter written and one letter received every 6 months and hard labour - I thought of the circumstances I find myself in at present and realise how 'easy I have it' compared to some. Sometimes I think I find it too easy to become tunnel visioned about my 'stuff' and forget about others. The longer in the tunnel I stay,the more my heart becomes chained, the harder freedom is to experience. Even though Mandella was in prison for over 25 years he never stopped believing in his destiny...that one day as an old man he might be called upon to lead his country...and so everything he did while imprisoned worked towards that end. He chose to let his circumstances work for him and not against him.

Proverbs says "Guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life"

Some old rocker sang "unchain my heart"

Some brothers from wayback performed "unchained melody"

I want my life to be an unchained melody - a life that speaks to the fullness of life in Christ. A life that lets negative circumstances work for me and not against me. A life that CHOOSES to live out of the goodness of God's grace and love and not wallow in the pit of despair (see Princess Bride movie for true appreciation).