Are You Free

When you have been set free in Christ you become open to a whole new world that you never knew existed. You start to live your days filled with hope instead of dread, you see the glass as half full instead of half empty. I have been in total awe over the last decade by the things I have seen God do in my life and through my life. I have enough testimonies at this point in my life to carry me through the end of my life that I should never ask for another thing yet God continues to bless me every day. I have been in the deepest darkest valley and I have felt completely and totally alone, I have had thoughts of leaving this world and its darkness, thoughts that lead to craving for something more than what I could see and feel. It was in those moments when I cried out to God completely venerable and listless that He heard me. He showed Himself to me; a beautiful angel of light that covered all of the darkness that tried to consume me. It was if I felt pounds lighter and years younger. A better vision may be of an old prisoner wearing a ball and chain and when they were removed the prisoner was free to run and dance and jump. I also felt like I had been given contact lenses and could see more clearly and more spiritually than ever before.  I remember how great I felt and that I never wanted to feel that other way ever again. That moment, that life changing, destiny altering, crimson moment has been the driving force in my life. My creator, my God, my redeemer came and met me in a place no one else dared to go; they could not go. He was the only one.

I have pondered that moment many times throughout my walk of faith. I remember it with a twinkle in my eye, a smile on my face and with that warm fuzzy feeling you get when all is right with your world. But in all of my wondering there is one question that remains unanswered. I guess I could say I have an answer but it does not seem like a very good one so I keep searching. My question is this; Why do people continue to reject a God that is so loving and so compassionate? I have read the bible, studied the bible and I have yet to find anything that teaches me if you follow it you will live a horrible miserable life. Sure there are rules to follow but there are rules in nature, in the countries we live in.  And unlike most of the laws of the land, God’s laws give you more freedom and rights and bring about harmony and love throughout one of His goals for His creation, one Kingdom. We hear it all the time, Bob Marley sang it “One Love”, people protest for it, charities are created for it, yet God gets a bad rap for what, being the only way to receive it?  It seems pretty simple and uncomplicated to me.

I have also learned through my 18 year journey with the Lord that you cannot out give Him. Following His biblical rules bring you constant reward. I know we hear it preached, you don’t give so you can receive, but it is one of the unfallable truths you cannot ignore when serving the Lord. You cannot out give Him. Every time you follow one of His rules you get blessed. He rewards you for being faithful and that is more than I can say for our government. 

I have seen it time and time again; miserable, lost, depressed people holding on to their misery so tight because they absolutely refuse to have someone correct them out of love. When I see that I also see, selfishness, control issues, bitterness, and stubbornness and grudge holders. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, this is one of those freedoms in sight God gives you when you are set free. The unfortunate part is that until those people have that coming to Jesus moment they will stay stuck and no matter how hard you try you cannot help them. The fortunate part is that you are reminded what you use to look like and feel like and you never want to go back so you draw closer to God. Once you have been truly set free you do everything you can to keep moving forward.

I have also heard people say “I tried God and nothing happened.” My response to this may be mistaken as harsh, but it is simple truth; you asked God to give you something and you didn’t get what you wanted the way you wanted it and therefore you remain in your selfish stubborn state.  That is not trying God, that is selfish motivation and trying to manipulate God into giving you what you want and God cannot be manipulated. You cannot “try” God. The problem is your heart was not in the right place.

The scripture 1Samuel16:7 speaks on how God looks at your heart not your outward appearance. The story surrounding this scripture is when God sends Samuel to find a new king to replace Saul because Saul has been disobedient. God is reminding Samuel that what makes a good king is not what he looks like on the outside but it is what the man’s heart looks like on the inside that will make him a good king. This is the same thing as people “trying” God. If the intent is to just get something you want then you have missed the point.  

To be set free means to be set free from yourself, your sin, your wrong thinking. After all it is YOUR relationship with God; why would He change everyone else in the world to benefit just you. He loves us all the same and He sent Jesus to set us ALL free, individually, because we are all different and we have different needs, wants, gifts and talents. When we allow God to work in us and through us we will start to see change in the world around us, not because the world is changing, but your perspective is. You begin to see with love not hate, humility not selfishness, empathy not judgement. Again I ask; Why do people reject a God that can give you all of that and more? Is it really that hard to look in the mirror and say “Wow, I have really messed up. I got this whole life thing wrong. I have been wrong and I am miserable because of it. I need some help. I need a change. I need Jesus. God forgive me and help me to live the life you created me to live. It has got to be better than this mess I have made for myself. I do believe Jesus died for my sins. I may not understand all of the complexities in salvation through Christ, but I am willing to learn. For now I simply choose to accept it and believe it. Amen”.

In closing if someone said to you, “I will give you $1000.00 for every hour you go sit in the parking lot of a grocery store”, would you do it? One thousand dollars seems like a lot of money, it could make a huge difference in your life even if you just did it once a week.  But when asked to go with someone to church on Sunday morning for one hour suddenly you have no time, the excuses pile up faster than you can say them.  Another opportunity to make a huge difference in your life and because it doesn’t seem immediately beneficial you reject it. One hour every week, one hour out of 168 hours. If you really want more out of life then you will stop making excuses and you will seek change.  If you don’t then don’t blame God when life hits the fan; blame yourself. I’m not saying church changes you, but if it’s a good church with good preaching, the kind that makes you want to change and be better, then yes you will see change and be set free from everything that is weighing you down.

1 Corinthians 10:23 Amplified Bible ²³ All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

We have free will already, God said so, but to be SET free is completely different.  One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. What are you doing?