Stop Cleaning Cobwebs: Beyond Quick Fixes to Real Freedomنموونە

I’m so proud of you for completing each day of this plan. It would have been easier for you to stop this plan. However, I pray that God has used this plan to show you that discomfort can lead to freedom.

Many years ago, I experienced the power of an uncomfortable conversation. My boss had systematically lied to me, which meant that many of my decisions and the way I treated people were based on those lies. I was angry, bitter, and wounded. Everything within me wanted to get even.

I made it my mission to ensure that everything my former boss did to succeed would fail. Whatever this person said, I did my best to discredit it. Whatever this person wanted to accomplish, I tried to sabotage it.

Fortunately, I had a close friend named Taylor. We met every week for coffee, prayed together, and studied Scripture. Taylor had complete permission to speak truth into my life.

One day, he said, "Scott, you must deal with this. You are so bitter and angry that you've become toxic. It's not just affecting you; it's affecting all these people around you. You're mad at one person, but you're taking it out on people who don't even know him. I'll be honest: it's tough to be your friend right now. You've got to deal with the pain and learn how to let go."

That conversation changed my life. Taylor cared more about my freedom than my comfort. He was willing to risk our friendship to help me, and he embodied the words of Proverbs 27:6 NIV: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted.”

As we conclude this plan, like Taylor, I urge you to address the issues that this plan has brought to the surface for you. Stop cleaning the cobwebs!

Here are three practical next steps to help you move from cleaning cobwebs to addressing the real issues:

Step 1: Spend this week identifying your cobwebs. Ask yourself these three questions:

• What are the struggles I can't seem to break free from?
• What do I turn to when I want to feel better about my feelings or thoughts?
• Where have I settled because I began to doubt anything else was possible?

Step 2: Invite someone who needs this kind of freedom to join you. If you're thinking of someone who needs this message, share this plan with them and invite them to join you on the journey. Sometimes the best way to solidify what you're learning is to help someone else understand it too.

Step 3: Begin praying every day for victory. You will likely encounter resistance and spiritual opposition. If you could do this in your strength, you would already be free! Start praying now for God to work in your heart and give you the courage to go deeper than surface solutions. Remember what 1 John 4:4 says - “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (NIV)

Don’t settle for cleaning cobwebs when God has the power to kill spiders. According to Matthew 19:26, what seems impossible in your strength is possible with God’s.

Are you ready to move beyond quick fixes to the real freedom He offers? Your journey to freedom begins with acknowledging that surface-level solutions are ineffective. Surrender today to God's power and allow Him to address the root issues in your life.

I’d love to continue to encourage you. Click here to learn about upcoming plans about spiders and cobwebs, along with how you can get complimentary access to my guide, Five Prayers for Difficult Seasons.