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Be(coming)

              It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

            “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

             Freedom is important to us, but we don’t understand it as much as we should. For some, freedom is the ability to do whatever they want. They aren’t free unless they can leap over tall buildings or go into space without a space suit. If those things and others like them aren’t true, there is only an illusion of freedom. Either freedom is absolute (for that individual) or non-existent. And the fact that your freedom might be in any way limited by my freedom makes freedom a lie.

The problem isn’t really that freedom is a lie. It’s that the definition is wrong. Freedom doesn’t mean being able to do whatever you want. It’s not even that you are about to do 75 percent or 50% of what you want. It has to do with not being prevented from doing what you know is right or what you should do.

Freedom is one of the things for which we need to pray in the year – and it’s even a catchy slogan: “Free in Twenty-Three.” We need to pray to be free from

Sin

Addiction

Obsession

Fear

Anxiety

Doubt

Timidity

Manipulation

Procrastination

Abuse (given or taken)

Depression & Despair

Anger

Perfectionism

Judgementalism

Greed

Selfishness

Lies

Sensuality and Lust…

            Add whatever you see is missing. Prayerfully pick three to lift up to God in the coming year. If you got rid of those, what would be part of your life in their place. Any time you give up something, you must replace it with something else. If you give up an addiction, health is the desired replacement. Quite often, the thing with which we should replace these things is with God, Himself. If you’re not sure what the replacement is, ask God.

            Spend some time talking with Him about what a life without your three would be like. 

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