Knocking Down Walls

By Peter Lundell

In this new year, before we try new things or quit old things, we should remember one thing: To do the new or quit the old, we need to break through what has hindered us until now.

Take a lesson from the Berlin Wall, erected in 1961 by the paranoid East German government, which divided democratic and Communist Berlin. The wall epitomized the government’s iron-fisted control of its people and its fear of the West. The concrete blocks and barbed wire isolated West Berlin from the rest of East Germany for 28 years.

In November 1989, after much protest, prayer, and political change, the border opened—and the wall broke down under the hammers of jubilant citizens. I watched it on CNN, amazed at how it could have happened.

Oppressive governments aren’t the only ones who erect walls. People who are hurt or deceived or embittered erect walls to protect them from hurting again. Walls to prevent others from getting close. Walls to prevent them from ever being vulnerable.

We erect emotional walls that say I will not feel, because it hurts too much; I will not trust, because I’ll be betrayed; I will not open up, because it scares me. At first these walls serve the good purpose of self-preservation.

But over time, we need to be healed of hurts, form trusting relationships, and open ourselves to others and to God. If we don’t, we’ll be miserable on the inside no matter how good we appear to others.

Some people go through their whole adult lives with psychological walls to protect them from everyone and everything outside¾like blobby, squishy shellfish hiding inside beautiful but tough shells. I’ve done it. Maybe you have too.

The Berlin Wall, which we once thought would stand forever, came down after 28 years. Any wall can come down.

Do you have walls in your life that need to come down? It’s not too late. And it’s not too soon.

No matter how long walls have been erected in your life, they can come down. After that, the big New Year commitments will truly have a chance.

PRAYER: Lord, You are the One who breaks down barriers. I give You mine. Break through my barriers, or work in me to break through them.”

“I will go before you and level mountains. Bronze doors I will shatter and iron bars I will hack through. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stashed away in secret places, so you may recognize that I am the Lord, the one who calls you by name, the God of Israel,” Isaiah 45:2–3 NET.

Today’s devotion is by Peter Lundell, author of Prayer Power. A rising new voice on connecting with God, he is a pastor, Bible college teacher, and conference speaker. Visit him at www.PeterLundell.com for his inspirational “Connections” and free downloads of articles, parables, short stories, and book chapters.