I love our youth girls' Bible Study class. I am challenged by their desire to do what's right and their openness to share what is going on in their lives. Last night we were discussing what True Freedom is. Is it the right to do whatever I want to do? Hardly! Not "True Freedom".
True freedom is the power to do what God wants me to do; it is being free from the control of sinful ways of thinking, sinful attitudes, and sinful behavior patterns. It's knowing that by God's grace, I can say no to sin and yes to God. Instead of being in bondage to the consequences of believing lies, I can be free.
FREE to accept the beauty God chose to express when He made me.
FREE to enjoy the food He created.
FREE to wait on God's timing.
FREE to be more concerned about being a friend than having one.
FREE to be kind and gracious when I don't feel good.
FREE from the hurts of the past so I can embrace the future.
FREE to be the same person no matter who is around.
I love our prayer times together as we all share our prayer needs and go over all the prayers that have been answered. I need prayer for the season we are entering here in southwest Florida....busy, busy, and busier.
As much as we enjoy all the activities during the months ahead, we also struggle with maintaining some sense of a private family life, church life, and a meaningful devotional and prayer life.
FREEDOM during the holidays....
FREE to enjoy them without getting so caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping, meal preparing, hospitality, etc. that we miss the real meaning of Christmas.
KEEPING HIS PRIORITIES MY PRIORITIES....
FREE to allow God to rearrange my schedule and the wisdom to know what His priorities are for me.
So many times I can have it all arranged and suddenly He "blows it all up" and allows some really important things to take precedence over my less important things. This week my precious nephew was in the hospital with pneumonia. Suddenly his health was our focus...health doesn't compare with the value of our daily tasks. I am so grateful he is back home again and doing well. And along with that I have to thank God for him and for the health we take for granted so often.
Pray for me and our family that we could live in God's TRUE FREEDOM as we serve him each day in the land of busy, busy, and busier.
I used to have a love/hate affair with winter time here in Sarasota. But last winter it was different for I decided to go with the flow of the day. I live alone and so I can do it but I know having a family and other responsibilities is a different story.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katie, for the reminder! Indeed, you are right, things go so much better when I go with the flow! :)
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