Anyway, back to freedom.
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. (Galations 5:1)So often as Christians, I think we allow ourselves to be bogged down in slavery over the tiniest things without even realizing it. Freedom from this type of mental or emotional slavery has been a theme in the conversations between my mentor and I for the last several months. Galations 5:1 is in my bathroom shower and every day I'm reminded of a new way it applies to me.
As hot water runs down my back the Enemy would try to whisper words in my mind of past failures and mistakes. It is for freedom Christ has set me free. My past is over and done. It has no power over me. I can begin to be free in this moment, living new thoughts and actions today by the power of the Holy Spirit. I am clean and forgiven, fully healed, free by the blood of the Lamb.
I stare at my to-do list that is longer than any one human could complete in a whole week and begin to feel overwhelmed by the impossibility of it all. It is for freedom Christ calls me to follow Him. It is only what He calls me to that I am asked to complete each day. Consistency and peace in my home are achieved by the simple choice of the right activities today. The rest may fall by the wayside and I am free to release them, knowing that I was never meant to be in bondage to an impossible list.
A stranger's thoughtless political comment about people who choose this course of action or that when faced with financial crisis send me reeling in anger and muddling in self-righteous stress about my own choices. It is for freedom Christ died for us. The only person's approval who I need is my Lord Jesus Christ and I already have it. I need not concern myself with other peoples' ill-informed and poorly directed opinions.
My husband's innocent, but impatient comment leaves me feeling alone and insulted and everything I've learned about giving him the benefit of the doubt flies out my right ear as the desire to rant and rave penetrates my heart. It is for freedom Christ came into my life. The only reason a situation might emotionally control me is if I allow it to. I have the freedom to choose my reaction to respond in kind or to let the issue rest. I can decide to be right or I can decide to be at peace, knowing he probably didn't mean it anyway, but either way, it is my choice.
The illustrations are endless and the triviality of many of the examples are ridiculous. Yet, the incredible peace that comes with the realization that it is for freedom that Christ came to Earth, died for us, and set us free, is more far-reaching than any of us will realize in this life time. I am convinced that when I get to heaven, I'm going to look back at my life and just marvel at all the times I got my undies all up in a bunch over something Christ died to set me free from two thousand years ago. It sort of relates to my post about frogs.
In simpler words, it's just not worth the worry. There are greater battles to fight - ones that are really worthy of our energy. There are bigger causes to get behind. There are more important ways to spend our energy. And we are just more powerful than that.**
Is there an area of your life or your thoughts that you are enslaved to? Ask Him to reveal to you the Truth of the matter and to set you free.
Do you feel like your whole life is wrapped up in bondage and the whole God-thing sounds just like more of that? Oh, my friend, how I wish for you to taste and know the freedom that I have. Ask Him to show you what that looks and feels like. He is a gentleman. He'll never force your hand. He is loving and gracious and He longs for the opportunity to show you Truth that will Set. You. Free.
With Love and Hope,
**By this, I mean that those of us who know Christ possess within us the power of the Creator of the Earth to be conquerers of our thoughts and emotions.