Many people would consider the life of a Christian to be anything but free. They’ve heard of the Ten Commandments, and view the Christian lifestyle as rather boring and restrictive, and are more enamored by the playground of the world’s offerings.
I must admit, during my college years when my life was not God centered, but rather self-centered I found the ways of the world to be more free and appealing. I was knowledgeable about God and his expectations, but did not want come across as a hypocrite the way my roommates did by partying all week then going to mass on Sunday. So I just "shelved God" so to speak, until I felt I was ready to be "enslaved" by Him.
Boy was my perception off. The lifestyle I viewed, as free, was actually a tie of bondage to the sinful world (John 8:34). Everything I was participating in that I believed was liberating me was in reality stripping me of my own self worth. I was a slave to the pleasures, believing that they would eventually lead me to the fulfillment I so deeply desired. The truth is self-serving pleasures only separates us from those who truly love us. I was looking for love and acceptance in every activity, and all I really had to do was reach back to that which I had heard before, but chose not to accept in the past.
The love of the Lord is the most freedom we could every want. He wants to fill our empty heart and provide comfort. He wants us to experience true freedom. Freedom to not feel pressured into wanting the world’s offerings, but rather to desire the will of the Lord. He wants to take away our fears and worries and solidify our future of an eternity with Him (Rom. 6:22). Who can deny, not having to worry about meeting the financial and social requirements set by our peers is freedom? I am eternally thankful that Jesus bestowed this freedom to me (Gal.5:1) even when I thought that I didn’t need it.
To me, that sounds like freedom.
