A Letter to Those Who are Doing Time Behind Bars
Dear brothers and sisters behind bars,
Today God wants to give you more. God wants to give you more than you have planned for yourself. God wants to give you more than get you out of your cells. God wants to give you more than spending some time with us. God wants to give you more than the bread that we have brought to share. God wants to give you more! God wants to give you a new beginning. God wants to give you freedom. Freedom that no one else can give you. Freedom that no one can take away from you. The freedom of your heart.
“28Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest!”
Matthew 11:28
Nothing will change unless we change deep within ourselves.
If you are to be set free from these surrounding walls, it will mean nothing if your heart is still captured and still in a prison of lies, sins, and the work of the enemy.
The chain weighs heavier when it is tied around our hearts than our own ankles.
To end up in prison you committed an action that led you there. That action was sparked by something. To every end there is a beginning. See, it’s not natural for us to commit murder. It’s not natural to consume drugs. And despite what the enemy tells you, you weren’t born any different than us. Sure, different country and culture but not any different than us because we are ALL sons and daughters of the Most High. But something in your life changed course. God wants to restore that course. Some of you dealt with abuse growing up. Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse. Some of you dealt with alcoholics or drug consuming parents or family members. Some of you have dealt with witnessing someone you love getting murder. Some of you have dealt with neglect and rejection from the people that were supposed to be there with you and for you. Someone or something has inflected pain deep within your heart and the enemy took advantage and filled your heart with anger and sadness. Because of that anger you might seek to harm people to vent it. Because of that sadness you seek to consume alcohol or drugs to ease your internal pain. The enemy has also lied to you, telling you that it is alright to carry all that pain, anger, and sadness through your life.
But I’m here to tell you, that is a lie and God wants to free you from all of those lies and pain.
As I mentioned earlier, in order for us to change, the change has to come from within. What do you have to do in order to change within? You have to accept God/Jesus in your life. Another important thing which is what I want to focus on today is that we have to forgive! Forgive others for their actions, for the damage they have caused in your life and your heart. Forgive your mother, forgive your father, your brother, sister. Forgive that person who told you they were your friend. Forgive the enemy. More importantly, my brothers and sisters, forgive yourself. God does not want you live your life with guilt. God does not want you live your life blaming yourself.
“12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:12-15
Let God completely free you and restore you. I want you to take this next moment to go back to the beginning and forgive those who you need to forgive. Forgive those who have done wrong and have caused pain in your life. Forgive them from your heart. Forgive yourself. And give your burdens to God. Give God your pain, your anger, your sadness, and your guilt.
God bless you and God bless your new freedom.
Spoken to inmates of Kampong Cham Provincial Prison in Cambodia. 07/17/2014
In His name and for His glory.
