Prison - what is your prison?

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!  Jesu Jevu!

   What is prison to you?  A place of fences and razor wire on the top with concrete walls and steel bars on the windows and doors?  Probably, when we think of prison this probably what we think of.
     Webster defines it this way: 1.  a state of confinement or captive,  2. a place of confinement especially for lawbreakers; specifically :  an institution (as one under state jurisdiction) for confinement of persons convicted of serious crimes.

     Unfortunately many of us live in our own prisons, created by ourselves due to our actions. These prisons are not with walls, there may be some barricades, but no walls.  How is this?  Let us think about this for a moment. 

  We may allow our pride to take control, and we don't view our actions now, with the consequences to come later.  James 4:6 "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

    Prisons are places that serve to punish people — it’s always “other people” —  for crimes they’ve committed. However, there are many individuals whose behaviors and emotions have helped make their lives a continual, unhappy jail cell.
     Our personal prison may be anger, envy, lust, fear, depression, alcohol, drugs, competition, and on and on.  We have to be careful when we enter our prison and be aware of where we are and what we are doing.  Some people are at the church every time the door opens, yet fail to take care of their family with quality time.  Some may be at work early hours of the morning to late hours at night, providing financially for their family, yet failing to spend quality time with family.  It could be alcohol or drugs - which diverts time and money away from what God may want us to do, using mixed priorities.  Yes, it could be a variety of things.

  When we take pride in what we do, forgetting (1)God, (2) spouse, (3) family - as in James 4:6 God opposes us.  Are you in opposition to God?

 Psalm 66: ¹⁰ For You, O God, have tested us;
You have refined us as silver is refined.
¹¹ You brought us into the net;
You laid affliction on our backs.
¹² You have caused men to ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water;But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.

   We have gone through the test, been tried and come through refined. We have been caught in nets, beaten down, run over, gone through the good and the bad, but when we are faithful what happens?  The last line - brought us out to rich fulfillment or abundance.

   When we go through these tests, God is always with us.  He never leaves us, but often we leave Him.  We create our own prisons, God is there with us, and once we come through it all we will have fulfillment or abundance.  Then, you ask, what is fulfillment- it is to gain wisdom and knowledge from the experience (prison).     You Aren't truly free until you understand your personal prison and understand who can deliver you from that personal prison.  First you, to understand your personal prison, and the GOD to deliver you from that personal prison.  Hope this makes sense to you all. It does to me and I do recognize my prison, and I have more prison cells to be freed from.  It is all in God's hands. Love you all.
Soli Deo Gloria
Johnny