“I’m overdoing this song.” That was my inner voice the other day. I had fallen for a song and ran the risk of ruining it if I didn’t stop pressing repeat. I ended up restricting myself to one listen per day. Ever had to do that?

The song is by Digital Age, and it’s called “Break Every Chain.”

The truth is, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at first. The chorus repeats a simple refrain: “There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain.” That sounds wonderful to me. It rings of freedom, joy and hands raised high, and I believe it to be true.

But something about the words kept bugging me. I kept thinking about my friend, Jacob, who lives at CSC. How would Jacob feel listening to this song?

Jacob is quite a guy. There is life dancing in his eyes. It can make your heart soar to get him laughing. He brings joy into a room with him and you can see how much he cares for people.

Jacob also deals with limits. If he wanted, he could focus on what he can’t do all day. Jacob can’t walk. He can’t feed or bathe himself. He can’t speak clearly. Every day is full of reminders to Jacob of the things others can do that he can’t.

Would a song about Jesus breaking every chain bother Jacob? Maybe it would for a time. Perhaps it would cause him to remind Jesus about all the chains he feels, and how much he wishes to be free of them. Maybe he would list the other kids in his home and wonder why he can’t be free like them.

We all feel like that some days, and, let’s be honest, it usually happens when we are comparing ourselves to others. We have those moments of wondering why we can’t be more than we are.

Thanks be to God, one day Jacob will be free of his chains. So will we. What is to come will be a freedom we can’t yet fathom. There will be no more hurt, despair or need to compare ourselves to others. Those broken chains will feel incredible. Maybe even a little extra incredible to my friend Jacob.

When I play that song today I won’t feel guilty about what Jacob would feel listening to it. Instead I think I’ll blast it for him.