Freedom vs Prison

To be able to walk free as a man or woman, to do the things we truly desire to do is an inalienable right.  Every person deserves this right by just being born. We know not everyone receives this freedom during their life, which many have fought hard and even lost their lives for.  Despite the millions who walk free in my country, with little restraints civilly, physically, religiously or even monetarily...there still exists carefully constructed individual prisons that could limit our freedom and capture us.

Bars of steel hold no contest to the hard heartedness and strict blindness of mind that can so easily entrap anyone of us.   Despair can sentence us to serve time inside a dark cell to pay for our own mistakes or the mistakes of others.  In my scripture study this past week, I noticed a verse that stood out to me in a way I've never understood before. 1 Nephi 7:17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethern; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound. 

I cross referenced "burst" and found 3 Nephi 28:19-22.  It reads: And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to the church. And the prisons could not hold them, for they were rent in twain. And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they could not dig pits sufficient to hold them. And thrice they were cast into a furnace and received no harm. And twice were they cast into a den of wild beasts; and behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling lamb, and received no harm. 

These versus struck me at a time when I felt imprisoned by my own circumstance not of my own doing.  There was just the right amount of emotional pain available to bury me if I let it.  A pit where very little light could penetrate or reach. And I could have been left alone to suffer.  I've witnessed so many others who have been buried alive figuratively speaking, imprisoned within their own hardened shell of fear, self doubt or anger.  A hopeless perspective can feel like a death sentence, where there is no rehabilitative or redemptive power and hope within reach.  This is a prison that captures and can hold any mind and heart, and will continue to do so for a lifetime if we don't invite the honest light of the Savior to come into our hearts and set us free. His grace can set the coldest of hearts free.  His grace can calm the most hellish of fears.  I could list on a piece of paper the many times I was cast into a furnace, prison or den of wild beasts and then able to walk free.  I received no harm.  And then even compensated for my trouble.  That night as I worried about the outcome of a very long court trial on behalf of my children, I felt the walls of hell closing in on me. So I said a prayer, asked for deliverance, read my scriptures and the walls of my prison were rent in twain.  The love of God encircled me and brought peace to my soul.  I knew I was not alone and would never be. I was released.

The Savior will break any earthly band if we can trust Him enough to ask.  I promise.