Freedom is a precious possession that must be held close and
nurtured. I have had a life long battle
with fear that manifest in a strange way.
When I was born my parents lived with my paternal grandmother. She insisted that I wear socks 24/7 to
prevent me from becoming ill. I know, crazy huh? My mom, not wanting to further
rock the very precarious boat of her life, complied. My grandmother, unknowingly opened the door
for a spirit of fear to take root in my life.
Over the last
52 years I have tried on multiple occasions to go without socks. I didn’t shower or swim with them on, lol, however,
every other moment I had to have them on.
I always longed to be “normal” and go barefooted. As I grew up my family and friends teased me about
my sock fetish. No one understood how much I longed to be free.
I worked very
hard as a mom to allow my children to go without socks. I remember the internal struggles I had
leaving them barefooted when the weather was nice and allowing them to take off
their socks even when it wasn’t if they chose.
As silly as this may sound to some, it was a very real daily battle for
me. Praise the Lord both of my children
enjoy bare feet. My youngest is more
often than not barefooted and loving life.
My family and
I moved to Texas at the beginning of this year.
I have enjoyed a new found freedom in worship and prayer that I hadn’t
had for a number of years. For the past
few weeks I have found myself wanting to take off my socks and go barefoot. I have done so when the desire arose. At first it felt awkward but as I continued
to obey that desire it became easier.
As I sat here this morning, worshipping
our amazing Father and praying for those He placed on my heart, I once again
felt the desire to remove my socks and walk around as I prayed. I was enjoying my worship time when the Holy
Spirit spoke to me. He told me that the desire
to remove my socks has a direct correlation to the new freedom He is giving
me. My “feet” have been bound by the
spirit of fear for far too long and it is time for that fear to be completely
broken!!
I am so
excited about this new chapter in my life!
Fear is such an ugly monster if we allow it to be. Our God is always the Victor when we yield to
Him and walk “barefoot”, open and vulnerable, in obedience. The Scripture tells us in 2 Timothy 1:17 that
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (self
discipline). We get to choose who we
will trust and believe.
My desire is to see all believers walk in
freedom and victory over fear and any other spirit that tries to hold us in
bondage. Jesus has already paid the
price. The Word tells us, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand
firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery,” Galatians 5:1. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to cast
all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us.
Philippines 4:6-7 takes it a step further when it says, “Do not be
anxious (worried) about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God,
which surpassed all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.”
My question for you today is: will
you take of your protective “socks” and open your heart to the healing,
redeeming, freeing work of our Good, Good Father today?
