"Chains shall He break, for the slave is a brother..."
This line from the classic Christmas hymn, "O Holy Night", tells us Jesus breaks chains and fixes broken and distorted relationships. How does He do this? The breaking of chains involves stress. I remember this from my elementary grade level science classes. In these classes, we studied the basic machines and principles related to machines. We learned how stress creates change when worked upon certain materials. Faced with enough stress, the chain will break. Am I seeking the breaking of chains in my life without accepting the stress that may accompany that freedom? Have I declared myself "blessed and highly favored" without understanding how this designation may mean that I will endure pains beyond normal, so I can faithfully and reliably and honestly testify to others how God can heal and overcome and restore anything that's broken in life? Am I willing to live these experiences so that I can lead and guide others who seek to know this truth? ...