Freedom

What does it mean, as a follower of Jesus, to be free?

If you’d have asked me at any point after I became a christian just before I turned twelve until about a month ago, I would have said something along the lines of:
”No one or no thing can own me.”
”Sin doesn’t rule my heart and desires anymore.”

These are correct answers, mind you, but somehow across the nearly 25 year of my saved life I truly don’t know that I really “bought” this concept. I knew how this experience worked but somewhere within me there stood a wall that seemed to block me from truly grasping what freedom is enough to really practice it. I struggled to really feel it but I just knew I was somehow. Free from sin? Yes yes. But why didn’t I feel it deep down? I still felt burdens and struggled with anxiety and insecurity. I know “Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.” 2 Corinthians 3:17 and His spirit is in me so what was I just not understanding? I got raw with the Lord. I confessed my state but had to ask into what repentance looked like and God told me!

I prayed boldly into this frustrated, spiraling thought and then went about my business of tending my home full of people and tasks. A few days later, we decided to take a random trip to the grandparents house. Rounding up four children for a day trip is pretty much the same as packing for an eight day vacation several states away… just us? Ok.. anyway. My brain space was anywhere but on that prayer as we got on the road, but out of nowhere it seemed that a voice in my soul said this:

Freedom is the ability to believe and behave independently from any positive or negative experience or circumstance.

I don’t know why this particular wording made it click but it did. By God’s kindness, i continued for days to hear that voice clearly stating the same definition in various terminology so that I would finally grasp it and be better able to embrace this promised freedom.

Freedom is the INability to be a victim of anyone or anything ever again.

Freedom is the ability to see and operate outside of one’s worldly experience and operate solely from a heavenly one.

Freedom is the supernatural power to see the light winning through the deepest fog and to celebrate. Not just as a hopeful wish toward a potential positive outcome but as a certainty that the events around you and within you are most purposefully allowed through the perfect kindness of God as a CRUCIAL element for your spiritual growth and the overall benefit of your well being.

Freedom is the desire and practice of responding in worship to anything because you see God winning in everything!

Freedom makes your emotions become little red flags who ask of our attention on a matter rather than a big scary beast who shoots our frontal lobe repeatedly until it bullies us into its ungodly desired action of belief.

Freedom means you only live in response to what Jesus did for you and never can be demanded to respond or react, behave or believe out of anything that anyone else has ever done for you.

I just asked the Lord to help me understand something. He said the same thing over and over with different words until I got it like the perfect, patient Father that He is. He’s so near to us and I am always SHOOK when the reality of that grabs hold of me.

I don’t know your story. I don’t know what you need freedom from or the journey you’ve trekked that lead you to it but keep in mind as you read this that our experiences are not irrelevant, we just gain the eyes to see them, painful or glamorous, as beneficial rather than abusive or oppressive. Freedom does not render the events of our lives as insignificant. We don’t quit caring about our personal histories. It doesn’t lessen the effect that the circumstances of our pasts have left with us. It simply puts it all into perspective so we understand how God works EVERYTHING for our good and because of the freedom of Jesus, we have found all the good!

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Clinical depression and anxiety is fear that has built up into such a massive snowball and has a hold on you which you feel that you can’t get out from under. This is not to your shame. We need help sometimes and it’s ok to ask for it to make that snowball smaller. Jesus himself prays for you while you’re being steamrolled by all of the burdens of this world and He’s ready to welcome you into His freedom.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Those moments may take a community of believing people and resources. He can provide that for you in Himself and through the community He will offer around you. It’s available. Just make some noise. Know this, lovely friend, God made you and He did a good job.