LOVE SONG - 4 / Freedom

Freedom...what does it mean to you?  What images come to your mind when you hear the word?  How do love and freedom work together?

In my last post I shared Galatians 5:1 from the Message Bible...
"Christ has set us free to live a free life.  So take your stand!  Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you."

Once we find ourselves free ...what then?  What are we to do with our new found freedom?  The fifth chapter of Galatians continues on to reveal a pathway of how to flourish and thrive in our life without chains...
"It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life.  Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to and destroy your freedom.  Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love, that's how freedom grows.  For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence.  Love others as you love yourself.  That's an act of true freedom. If you bite and ravage each other, watch out...in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?"

How does a person learn to love themselves so they can love others in healthy, life giving ways?  May I suggest that forgiveness is what makes it possible  to love ourselves.  I free myself to love by forgiving myself for my failures...forgiving others for intentionally or unintentionally wounding me (with or without their remorse or apology)...and I forgive God for what I have perceived to be His abandonment and rejection.

Freedom is being able to release people and situations that I absolutely have no control over. The freedom to love sprouts, grows, blooms and bears fruit only if I am willing to forgive.

I just finished a book by Seth Haines, titled..."A Story of Faith COMING CLEAN". It is a journal of sorts of his first 90 days of sobriety. "The Healing" is a series of chapters of his journey through forgiveness. He writes this profound sentence on day sixty-four ..."Without forgiveness, there is no meaningful way to move into healing and peace."

Do you thirst for healing and peace?  Are you willing to forgive?  Are you ready to let go of people or emotions that have kept you imprisoned?

I want you to know that my heart aches for you to be free. We are all bound by something. My prayer is that you will find the life and truth in the words below releasing you from the disappointments of the past, the unknown fears of the future and give you the strength to walk peacefully in the gift of the present...and remember...He is ever singing a love song over you...

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing."

Zephaniah 3:17 ESV