Five Minute Friday ~ Free
The rain patters down outside the low country windows. Peace fills this place and I long desperately to hold on to what I have. Right now. Just like this.
But then the afternoon brings the unexpected and the evening blows up and in a few mere moments the weight of protecting and raising up our children sets in and all of a sudden, I’m suffocating.
Have you felt this way?
When your love pulses so powerfully you feel you’ll literally burst? When you take on every single solitary fear and wear them as these heavy yokes and grip far too tight for anything or Anyone to ever loosen your fingers?
I forfeit my freedom for the flattening load of ‘it’s all on me‘. Yes, me. I have to do it all, worry about it all, see it all, protect it all, make it all work together for good. And if I don’t? If I don’t – this little country house of cards will just come crashing down.
But all this worry – this all-consuming need to know that everything is going to be alright and that I’m the one who is in control – it’s sin. It’s saying that what the Lord says isn’t true. It’s blasphemous. By choosing fear and stress and worry – I choose to say that He doesn’t have the whole world in His hands – let alone my children.
See, here’s the upside down truth of God’s Kingdom – white knuckled gripping at control… it cages us something fierce.
Freedom leaves us when Truth is forgotten.
It’s too simple but then again, that’s the wonder of it.
Christ came and He dwells with me and only He can make me truly Free.
God doesn’t have you in the palm of His Hands.
The truth that when we grip on to control and worry – we deny God’s Truth that He has our back and His loving arms are around us.
We unwillingly (and sometimes willingly) tell the Lord and King of the universe that we can take care of things better than He can.
We ignore the truth…
The life-altering truth is that when we know Him and follow Him – we are already free.
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.
John 8:31-38
A related quote for Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts:
“If authentic, saving belief is the act of trusting, then to choose stress is an act of disbelief… atheism. Anything less than gratitude and trust is practical atheism…. Perhaps the opposite of faith is fear… I can’t experience deep joy in God until I deep trust in God… trusting God is my most urgent need. If I deep trusted God in all the facets of my life, wouldn’t that deep heal my anxiety, my self-condemnation, my soul holes? Trust is everything…”
8 Comments
heather nelson @ heatherdavisnelson.com
I'm visiting from FMF, and yes, I so relate as a mom to twin 4-year-olds. It's so, so easy to feel the burden of our families/kids on our shoulders and forget that it's Jesus who's got them. And that he's got us, too. This brings freedom. Thanks for sharing!
The Forever Joyful Homeschool
I completely relate as I am a mom to three under age eight. I don't have to bear the burden of child-rearing alone. God wants me to cast my burdens on Him because He cares for me.
Cassandra
Amen! I love this.
Denise
such a good post.
Unknown
Those lies are definitely my own worst critique. I am so thankful for a God that gently nudges me back towards the truth. Wonderful post! And by the way, I am so loving the name of your blog! We try to unplug as much as possible too!
Cassandra
Mine too… Thank you.
The Forever Joyful Homeschool
Thanks so much for your post. It goes along perfectly with our sermons from the last two Sundays. We have been talking about how faith is freedom from fear because it is trust in God. When I am not ravaged by fear, I can be free in Christ! It is for freedom that Christ set us free!
Cassandra
Sounds wonderful… Is't it so wonderful to know His joy?