This is one of my favorite times of the year. I enjoy the fireworks, concerts, and the celebration of the founding of our nation. We celebrate freedom. But what is this freedom we celebrate?
I typically write about things that I need to hear. I figure if it is something that is helpful to me, then maybe someone else needs to hear it, too. Far too many of us live in this “land of the free”, yet we do not live in freedom. We allow the day-to-day life to control us and define us.
I know many, including myself from time to time, that allow our circumstances, our emotions, and our fears to enslave us. I have goals that I want to reach, but I come up with excuses for why I can’t. I usually use the excuse of time. I’m too busy. I have too much to do. But when I actually look at my calendar and map out what I have been doing, it isn’t that much. I enslave myself by my own poor thinking. I do not allow myself to live in the freedom that I proclaim.
It is interesting to me how easy it is to overlook the simple things in pursuit of the big things. I love to travel, but I do not do this as much as I would like. The thought of traveling and “seeing the world” has been a dream of mine for a long time. I plan big trips and have grand ideas of travel. Occasionally I get to head out on one of those adventures, but not very often. I often find myself missing the adventures that are right in front of me. I have met people from out of state who know more about things to do in my area than I do. I have lived in this area for over 30 years and there are many things to do here that I have not done. We have this freedom, but what good is that freedom if all I do is watch TV or scroll through social media? What good is that freedom if all I do is watch other people live their lives and not live my own?
What am I doing with the freedom that I have? Am I wasting it in front of the TV, escaping in some TV show, movie, or video game? Am I wasting it escaping through unhealthy eating or drinking? Am I using that freedom selfishly to pursue a bigger kingdom for me? Am I so focused on doing what I want to do that I have lost sight of helping those around me?
I have made many excuses as to why I cannot or should not help some people, but the clear fact is that Jesus says this is what we need to be doing (Matthew 25:35-40). Later in the Bible, James says:
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
James 1:27
One of the reasons I started this blog was to hold myself accountable to live life every day. Over time I have lost sight of that part of my goal. It is often just easier to let life pass me by or run me over than it is to go live life.
Challenge yourself to live your life. Explore the world around you. Find ways to give instead of finding ways to get more. Find ways to break out of the bondage of fear, popularity, and selfish ambition and pursue the happiness that comes through true freedom and unselfish love.
So, this week, as we celebrate the founding of our nation and proclaim the freedom we live in, think about this. What am I doing with that freedom? If we don’t live like we are free, then what is the point of having freedom?
How are you going to live free? Comment and let me know.
