shackles

shackels: a metal fastening, usually one of a pair, for encircling and confining the ankle or wrist of a prisoner or captive; a fetter or manacle.
another definition is: to restrain in freedom of expression or action.
What an awesome experience to praise God through any circumstance (no matter how bad it has gotten or is getting)and to keep in mind how good and in control He is no matter what difficulty is there. can freedom of praise be expressed in the "worse-case-scenarios"? the answer for me would be a loud YES! but have i been able to praise God, be thankful for the circumstances, dance when my circumstance looks like there's no reason to celebrate, laugh when i felt i should be crying, loved myself when i felt i didn't deserve it, or look at those around me and see God at work when i wanted to focus on my problems? and that answer would be YES! i have fallen to common-normal feelings of defeat, frustration, sadness, and anger in bad situations. but God has, at times, remove the "shackles" from those typical ways to respond in bad situations and have allowed me to sing and dance as if no such bad situation had existed. only God could do that. only God could create such a celebrated experience in me when all appeared dark and gloomy. i have had those times and have remembered those times enough to help me when new situations arose. to be honest....laughing and dancing is not my first reaction at the time "it" happens. but i'm not the type to live in the moment of "poor pitiful me" for too long. that's when God removes the "shackles" that bind me to sadness or defeat and i am able to sing and dance through my circumstance. God is good not only when good things happen. God is good ALL the time-no matter what happens. easy said than expressed? the answer would be YES. but can it be done? and the answer would be a loud YES!

FINAL THOUGHT:it's funny how God continues to be God no matter what. He never changes despite our circumstances or our emotions. but then again, because of who we are....HE is who He is: awesome,powerful, loving, forgiving, accepting, and full of blessings. our shackles doesn't bind God to be less than God. our shackles binds us to our weaknesses as humans. but it also gives us an opportunity to see God....be God!

QUESTION:when was the last time you got to expereince "God being God" in your toughest circumstances and you were truly able to be thankful and at peace in the midst of a bad situation?