I was listening to an empowerment call and I heard a story
about a young girl who questioned the maximization of our freedom. This nine
year old girl was telling her father that she was beginning to be bound up by
technology instead of living in her freedom to live out her dreams. In other
words, she was allowing her phone with all of its apps and gadgets to take her
away from writing her book. Yes, she had the freedom to make a choice. However,
she realized that freedom to make a choice doesn’t negate the responsibility to
make the best choice.
Dictionary.com defines freedom in a number of ways. Freedom
is “the state of being free
or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint.” It is an
“’exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.” Freedom is “the
power to determine action without restraint.” It is an “exemption from the presence
of anything specified (usually followed by from).” Freedom can also be
viewed as “the absence of or release from ties, obligations, etc.”
We are all free to make decisions that will help grow us or
destroy us. We are free to choose to win or to lose. We are free to sleep in
late or to wake up to productivity. We are free to spend time scrolling through
facebook or writing a business plan. We are free to love or to hate. We are
free to eat clean or to eat bons bons all day. We are free to get active or to
stay stationary. We are free to pay our mortgage or to gamble our mortgage
payment. We are free to buy groceries or to buy the new Jordan’s. We all have
freedom to make our own choices.
The choices we make determine whether we continue to live in
freedom or whether we become bound up. When we choose to live in freedom, we
choose to take control. We choose to take personal responsibility. We choose to
walk in wisdom. We choose to give up excuses. We choose to be steadfast. We
choose to see a brighter tomorrow. We choose to walk in faith. We choose to let
go of our past. Let go of fear. Let go of doubt. We choose to walk in our
purpose. We choose to forgive. We choose to let go of pain. We choose to
believe.
When we fail to make these choices, we find ourselves bound
up. Bound up by disappointment. Bound up by heartache. Bound up by disbelief.
Bound up by shame. Bound up by rejection. Bound up by regret.
It’s time to let all of that go! We were not created to be bound up. John 8:36 tells us, “So if the Son sets you
free, you will be free indeed.” The Son set us free when He went up on that old
rugged cross, hung there, and died for us. When He arose three
days later, that was our reminder that we are not stuck in bondage. Instead, we
are free to capitalize on our choices. Free to walk in wisdom. Free to pursue
our purpose. Free to let go and let God.
Are you maximizing your freedom?
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