While elephants are still babies and they need to be trained, their trainers tie them to a steak in the ground with rope that they cannot break free from. As the elephant grows, they are still tied with the same type of rope, only this time, they could absolutely snap the rope and go free. Why don’t they break free? Because, after so many attempts when they couldn’t break free because the rope was too strong, now they just believe that they can’t.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately and, if you’ve had a conversation with me this week, you’ve probably heard me share the elephant story!

One of the things that we have been conditioned in is Covid. Today (Thursday 24^th March) marks two years to the day that we were ordered to stay at home for three weeks!? – I know, right! I heard someone call it the ‘good lock down’ and I understand what he meant. It was new, novel and gave us all a chance to live life differently, no-one would ever have thought that we would still be living with it today.

Please understand that what am I about to say is regarding the BIG picture, so don’t take it personally and don’t take offense. Only you know your own body and what is needed when sickness strikes.  But I must say what I find interesting now is, we’re no longer being ordered to stay at home, wear masks or even self-isolate if we test positive, yet so many people are still doing the things that were once mandatory. We were tied to a steak in the ground two years ago and, many people don’t believe or don’t want to believe that we are no longer tied. Is it fear? Is it conditioning? Is it wise? Of course, in some instances, the right thing is to stay at home, we all know our own bodies and what we need, plus no -one wants you coughing or sneezing over them! Please stay home! Haha!

Covid is just one example of many that we can use in this analogy. A fear of flying, driving, heights, lifts, shyness, sickness, habits, barrenness and on and on we go.

All these things are genuine ropes, but in Christ, they are breakable. If we are conditioned to a belief system that tells us that our rope isn’t breakable, we stand tied – possibly for life.

Let’s flip it on its head, what if your rope is something you’d like to do or should be doing but you don’t think you can – eating well, exercise, bible study, prayer – you’ve tried to break free from ill-discipline and apathy, you’ve tried it so many times and failed that you’ve just accepted that you can’t move.

What do we do? We must be transformed in our thinking. So, if you’re fearful of driving in the dark or on a motorway. Ask a friend to go with you, just do it. If you’re scared of getting in a lift, ask a friend to go with you, just do it! You will be amazed, and you will never look back. Once a barrier is broken, it is broken forever. Once you snap the rope, it will be snapped forever. If you’re longing for a baby, believe, then act (I won’t go into detail with the acting here! Suffice to say, you’re not going to have a baby if you don’t act! I have prayed with many couples to get pregnant and can testify to results, after I have prayed, I always say, now go and practice!

Once you believe, you will act. It happens that way round. Believe then act!

You have 2 paths to choose from – the wide path where you let all the ropes you have keep you pinned in one place or the narrow path where you’re making decisions to cut the ropes and enjoy the life that Jesus died to give you. Which path is easier? The wide one! It’s much easier to stay tied to the steak than it is to go on a journey to break chains. Which path is freer? The narrow one! It’s on this path that you will fly in all the freedoms that are yours in Christ. Which path are you on? If you need to switch lanes, just do it.

Until next time, D xx