When Heather first messaged me about writing a guest post on her blog, I had already gone into defense mode about why I could not. I had nothing important to say. How could I compete with the brilliant writers who had been guests before? Etc.
You all know the routine, when something is out of our comfort zone. Every excuse in the book runs a race in our mind as to how we are not "good enough."
Comparison and inadequacy are the two most common things that keep us from God’s purpose.
One of my morning devotionals said this, "God doesn't need two people just alike!" So, during my "inadequacy arguments" God kept repeating one word to me over-and-over in my mind and through those arguments, and as usual, His voice was lovingly persistent and predominant!
Every excuse I came up with, He answered one word....FREEDOM.
So before I even said yes, before I could try to come up with one brilliant thing on my own that would "inspire the world," before I could run and hide from the task before me, He whispered "FREEDOM!” And so the subject selection was made!
The funny thing about The Father, when He has something for us to do, and we are less than enthused at the prospect, He equips! Remember what He told Moses from the burning bush? "I will be with you"...so the plan was set in motion.
The Fourth has come and gone, and we have celebrated the freedom we have as Americans, but the FREEDOM I am talking about is our Freedom in Christ. And while the definition for freedom in the dictionary is "liberated from restraints, limitations, oppression, and slavery," it still applies to our spiritual life too.
I learned what restraints and limitations felt like last December in a whole new way. I had fusion back surgery that two weeks later developed into full-blown massive blood clots in my right leg, sending me for a six-day stay in ICU. The catch was, I had to lay flat on my back, with a large catheter behind my knee, attached to a tall IV tower with 6 bags connected, and not move for six days. To make matters worse, I had not yet been able to lay on my back after the surgery without severe pain. Talk about restraints and limitation! Wow! And even though these limitations and restraints were physical, they were mentally exhausting.
Fear crept in! I was a slave to it and the depression and oppression of the enemy was real and strong.
But the Lord sent a human form of Jesus to me in a man-of-God nurse, named Godwin. How perfectly fitting....God Wins! And slowly, but surely, those restraints, limitations and fears were dwindled down through the reminder of God’s grace by this kind representation of Christ. Godwin reminded me of all God had for me to do.
Today, as I write, I remembered the firefighters instructions "Stop, drop, and roll," translated for me as "quit borrowing worry, pull up by the faith boots, and move on to better."
We can choose to be restrained and burdened, or we can SURRENDER and be released to FREEDOM, blessed FREEDOM!
I am still working on learning this TOTAL FREEDOM as I lean into Him for release from my fear of the blood clot that still remains—a work in progress—I repeat, a WORK in progress!
But HE is ABLE, and with Him, I will be ABLE too!
Another quote from one of my morning devotionals said this, "Sometimes the things that bring peace, take the most work!" I am finding this so true. EVERY DAY that I wake up is a reminder there is still more for me to do to make my God smile so He can proclaim in the Heavens..."That's my girl!"
And last, the best part of FREEDOM—the right to assembly, free to fellowship together.
Anyone who knows me well, knows my devotion time is spent every morning on my front porch before the busyness of life gets in the way, a FREEDOM to sit and "assemble together" with the Father, just the two of us. And yes for those who live near me, the lil' old white-headed lady out on the porch with her coffee and devotions and God's Word is not in a rocking chair. Not yet anyway! But the time I spend with Him and listening to Him speak wisdom, strength and peace to my weary soul is the BEST FREEDOM I know.
I don't HAVE to, I GET to!
I can cry with Him, talk with Him, be vulnerable with Him, and bask in the beauty of His new creation each day because of FREEDOM, BLESSED FREEDOM!
What restraints do you have, and what limitations have kept you from enjoying all God has for you? Is it fear, depression, lack of self-esteem, not being as smart as someone else? What restrains you from liberty?
YOU ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH THROUGH CHRIST!
I pray that this speaks to your heart and releases you from what keeps you limited, that your restraints will be broken by the agape love and FREEDOM of Jesus, because, folks, there's just nothing better!
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 HCSB
OH BLESSED FREEDOM!
You can be free today, don't waste another minute...like the commercial says, "Don't leave home without it!"
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