CAPTIVITY: "The condition of having your freedom limited involuntarily. Being confined, trapped, restricted or controlled against your will."
The Opposite: Emancipation, freedom, independence, liberty, choice
HOWTO RESUME LIFE SUCCESSFULLY
1.EXPECT TO FEEL MIXED EMOTIONS
".. . all who had returned from captivity (in Babylon) began to work on rebuilding the Temple of God. . . . When the builders finished laying the foundation . . . everyone sang with thanksgiving to God and shouted'Praise the Lord!The foundation of his Temple has been laid!' BUT many of the older people, including the priests and family leaders who had seen and remembered the first Temple wept with sadness when they saw the new foundation. But because everyone made so much noise that it could be heard far away, no one could tell the difference between the joyfulshouting and the sad crying, and it was all mingled together." Ezra 3:8-13 (NCV)
2.EXTRACT THE LESSONS I LEARNED
"Youhave experienced many things. Were all those experiences wasted? I hope not!" Galatians 3:4 (ICB)
"Didyou go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!" Galatians 3:4 (MES)
ActionStep: Take 15 to 20 minutes this week and reflect on the following questions from the message. What have I LEARNED about: What matters most and what doesn't matter? . . . My weaknesses? . . . My relationships? . . . The pace of my life? . . . About God? . . . The world? . . . How I use my time? . . . About money? . . . About happiness?
Ifyou process best by walking, go for a walk outside! If your process best by journaling, grab a journal and get comfortable!
3.EVALUATE EVERYTHING BEFORE RESUMING IT
"Thisis what the Lord Almighty wants you to do: Take a good, hard look atyour life. Think it over! You've spent a lot of money, but you haven't much to show for it. You keep filling your plates, but you never get filled up! You keep drinking but you're always thirsty. You put on layers of clothes, but you can't get warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse withholes in it! So give serious thought to your ways!" Haggai 1:5-7 (MES/NIV)
"Zealwithout knowledge is not a good thing; a person who moves tooquickly may go the wrong way." Proverbs 19:2 (NLT)
4.ENGAGE SLOWLY, DON'T BE IN A HURRY
God: "At the appointed time that I have decided, everything I'veplannedwill happen. You can trust what I say about the future, but it won'thappen all at once. It may seem that it's taking a long time, but be patient and keep on waiting, because the vision will surely happen!" Habakkuk 2:3 (CEV)
God told the Israelites: "I'mNOT going to get rid of all your enemies in asingle year, because the land would then be deserted and unmanaged, and
wildanimals would multiply quickly beyond your control. So, instead, I will drive them out slowly, little by little, until you've grown strong enough to take full possession of your land!" Exodus 23:29-30
ActionPlan: Slowing down is one of the hardest things we can do in our culture. Everything around us tells us to climb and be efficient as possible. To lean into slowing down and resting this week, schedule 30 minutes in one of your days this week for a nap! Sometimes sleeping and resting in God's care for us is one of the most spiritual things we can do.
5.ELIMINATE NON-ESSENTIALS
"Anintelligent person aims at wise action, but a fool starts off in manydirections." Proverbs 17:24 (TEV)
Jesus: "Mydear friend Martha! You worry and fuss over so many different little things. But really, only one thing is essential, and Mary has selected it." Luke 10:41-42 (TEV)
6.EMBRACE THE NEW THINGS GOD IS DOING
"TheLord says, 'Forget the former things, and do not dwell on the past. Instead, look at the new things I am going to do. They are already starting to happening. Can you SEE what I've begun to do?'"
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NCV)
"Eventhough your land was unused and abandoned, it will soon be toosmall for all the new people – more people than you know what to do with! Your captivity will seem far away! And the new generation born in exile will return and say 'We need more room! It's crowded here!'" Isa. 49:19-20 (NLT/MES)
7.ENTRUST MY LIFE AND FUTURE TO JESUS
"TheScriptures show us that the whole world is held captive by sin. We're ALL prisoners to sin's powerful control. The only way to freedom is through faith in the promise of Jesus Christ. That freedom is given to ALLwho believe in Jesus. Until faith in Christ came, we were all held captive
underthe judgment of God's Law. We were locked up until God revealed the way tofreedom through faith." Galatians 3:22-23
Weekly Action Steps
We recommit our lives to Jesus Christ. Text NEWSTART (1 word) to 83000 or email newstart@saddleback.com
We express our gratitude to God for his goodness by giving back to him. Because of your faithful generosity, we have been able to provide food and supplies to over 600,000 people in Southern California during this COVID crisis. Give at saddleback.com/give.
We meet in small groups online to discuss what we have heard. To join a group, text
SMALLGROUP to 83000 or email smallgroup@saddleback.com. To be baptized, email MYBAPTISM@saddleback.com.
Listen to our "Doable Discipleship" and "The Well" podcasts from our Saddleback Growth team at
Saddleback.com/learn
