Back in the day, an old roommate of mine and I became “parents” to three cockatiels we named Sweet Pea, Aunt Bea, and Birdolucci. Someone from her Mom’s workplace needed to find a new home for them, so we said yes. I’d never had birds before, but I grew to love those little orange-cheeked, yellow-headed birds with their fancy “hair-dos.” Once in a while, we’d close the curtains to prevent them from hurting themselves trying to fly through a closed window. Then we’d let them out one at a time to fly and zoom around the high ceiling in the living room. After getting some exercise, they’d land on a curtain rod. Next, we’d hold out a finger, they’d latch on, and go for a ride back home.
There are times when some birds need their wings clipped for safety. Certain wing feathers are trimmed so if they try to fly, they instead flutter to the ground and can be picked up. The feathers will always grow back so they can fly again when they’re healthy or it’s safe or they return to freedom again in the wild.
Sometimes in life it can feel like we’ve had our wings clipped. The freedom we’re used to having is suddenly taken away or circumstances limit what we’re used to doing. It can be long-term or temporary. It can be due to things like an illness or an accident, financial struggles, or the result of poor choices. If you’re listening to the recording of this ThinkSpace, you can hear in my voice that I have a cold. My wings are clipped right now and I’d be lying if I said I liked it!
God can use times like these to teach us deep lessons that can be life-changing in a good way, even though we wouldn’t have volunteered to go through them.
What kind of lessons? Here are just a couple:
Slowing down gets our attention and can change our focus. When things are taken away, we don’t take them for granted anymore. Instead, we can see Who they come from in the first place. All we have, all we are, and all we ever will be comes from God – including the life He gave us today. We can be miserable – or thankful!
Being stopped for our own safety is a reality check and opportunity to choose a different direction. Because God loves us, He reaches out to us to help us, even if it’s a drastic measure because, well … we asked for it! If we go the wrong way long enough, there will be consequences. We already know this in our conscience but do it anyway. Sin can take us farther away than we ever thought we’d go and do more damage than we could ever imagine when we took the first step down that path. Being stopped from going further is actually a blessing wrapped in an intervention. Accept it and be thankful, rather than use it as an excuse for anger or further rebellion. Use this time to clearly see what is good and healthy: spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially. Change paths and pray for God’s help to stay on the better one. Do what’s right. Do what’s necessary. Avoid what could have been avoided. Psalm 118:5 says:
“Out of my distress, I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.“
When our wings are clipped to learn lessons like these, the end purpose isn’t to stay in that place, it’s the opposite. The Apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:1(NIV):
“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.“
Jesus Christ came to free us from slavery to sin and its punishment. To give us freedom to live a Holy Spirit-led life of faith, love, and hope that leads to eternal life.
If this speaks to where you are today, you can be certain that true freedom is available to you from God if you put your faith in Him. Even if you’re in an extreme situation in a wheelchair or in prison. (Watch this short video about the life of quadriplegic Joni Eareckson Tada for inspiration)
The clearest focus of all can come from the deepest challenges of our life – from the inside out, no matter where we are. Our flying feathers will grow again when we use them to follow Him to soar to places beyond what we can imagine. This is what the Lord Himself says in Jeremiah 29:13-14a (NIV):
“‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord.”
RESET HIGHER: If your wings have been clipped to slow down and think about your life, open your heart and ask God for clarity about what He wants to teach you. Listen to His voice as you pray and read your Bible, then act on what you learn.
