Monday, April 24, 2023
Growing up in church, I believed that following Jesus meant restricting my freedom to boring church activities that would take away all my fun. I believed what the world said, that being a Christian was to live a stuffy, religious life, stifling creativity and spontaneity. But I wanted to go for the gusto and live for sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll! So that’s what I did! And as many famous people (of which I am NOT) can tell you in their self-destructive bios—that life ain't all it's cracked up to be!
Indulging in what I thought I should have the freedom to do left so much wreckage in my path, all while excusing my behavior with the lie, “I wasn’t hurting anyone.” The truth is, my actions did cause hurt—to families, kids, friendships, and work environments. What freedom!
My life was full of lies, excuses, trainwrecks, and more lies. I couldn’t keep track of it all! As often happens, it all came crashing down on me, and I found myself circling the drain.
Thankfully, God, in his mercy, sent a friend who threw me a lifeline. That friend candidly reminded me that Jesus is my only hope for freedom from the mess I had made of my life. He told me that Jesus was inviting me into a life of freedom. And I have found that to be true.
John 8:31-32
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (emphasis added).
Jesus continuously teaches me how to live my life. He provides guardrails that ensure I don’t go into a ditch.
He says don’t lie (Leviticus 19:11, Proverbs 12:22). OK! Now, I don’t need to think about what to say. I simply tell the truth. There may be consequences for that, but it's better to face them with a clear conscience than trying to remember the lies I told.
He says love your neighbor (Mark 12:31). OK! As a Christ follower, I may not always like my neighbors. However, I am called to love them and serve them, so I do. My actions and words tell them how Jesus gives me hope for each day.
By following these guidelines, my mind is free to focus on more important things, like knowing God and seeking his will for me. Living within the guardrails Jesus provides us brings a freedom I never knew. I can trust God to honor my desire to follow him. My desire to follow him pleases him and brings me a deep and satisfying sense of his presence and his peace.
My childhood version of Christianity was to try to please God by following his rules. That is not the life that Jesus invites us into. Trying to please God is tiring and can feel overwhelming. Trusting Jesus leads to freedom. Learning from him prepares me for this life, and the next! And you don’t have to do it on your own! Remember:
Philippians 2:13
… God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (emphasis added).
The bottom line is trusting God is the road that leads to holistic freedom.
Questions:
Are you still trying to earn God’s favor? How is that working out for you?
Next Steps:
Ask Jesus to forgive you for the times you have tried to live life on your own. Place your trust in him, completely. He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for caring enough for me that you gave me guardrails to protect me. Help me see them as boundaries in which I can experience the freedom to live life to the fullest. Psalm 143:8 says, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I have entrusted my life.” You hold my life in your hands, Lord. I will trust in you, for you are good. Amen.