In Walt Disney's Tangled, Rapunzel is locked in a tower, only dreaming of what is beyond. Her mother, behind of a facade of protection and care, prevents her from discovering her dream through guilt and demand.
Rapunzel's life in the tower is much like our imprisonment inside Religion. Our soul and self become listless, angry, rule-laden, or otherwise stuck in a tower of "goodness" that requires constant monitoring. We become increasingly self-judgmental (if I can just be a little bit better) or self-righteous (I would never do that--I am above that behavior) and lose the dream of wondering about God as our Magnificent Obsession.
He seems to be simply the keeper of the castle and the dream of beyond begins to die.
The path out?
Recognize God is not the keeper of that castle. That is the most powerful deception of Religion.
Ask God to reveal Himself to you in a personal relationship, and then be prepared to put in the time to get to know Him.
Enter into the tension of deciphering all you hear about God by exceeding time spent alone with Him, reading, praying, and just as importantly, listening to learn His Voice.
The path out of the abuse of Religion is slow and rocky. Many will be the voices that tell you that you are wrong. You will at times long for the safety and simplicity of the tower life.
Rapunzel navigated the tension of respecting yet ultimately breaking free of that which wrongly trapped her. Religion can be an adequate starting point with basic truths; it will reveal It's true agenda, however, when you seek to move into deeper relationship with God, leaving behind any semblance of rules and boundaries that prevent growth and maturity.
Navigate the tension. Chase God. Put in the time. God will meet you each step of the way with Truth and Love and Grace that free you from Religion's captivity.
Jesus came to give us abundant life. That is the dream planted within each of us--to know God intimately and personally as our Magnificent Obsession. We will find Him when we bravely step outside of the tower.
