Let’s talk about freedom. We chase it, don’t we? Freedom from stress, from people’s opinions, from guilt. Sometimes we wrongly think freedom is doing whatever we want whenever we want. I know I did.
Do you remember as a kid, thinking, “When I get my driver’s license, I’m finally going to be free.” And then you get your license and realize you have responsibilities, like paying for gas, picking up your siblings, and running errands for your parents. “I’m not free; I’m just an Uber with chores.”
Galatians 5:1 says that Christ has set us free, and we are to learn not to get enslaved again by things in life. The verse finishes, “Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” That tells me that while freedom in Christ is a gift, we need to put forth effort to stay free.
Like the Israelites, we are tempted to go back to what enslaved us. “Egypt” was comfortable in its own way. But if we truly want to live in freedom, we have to trust that Jesus is enough for our salvation.
Have you ever tried to untangle Christmas lights? You think it’s going to take 5 minutes, but 45 minutes later, you’re frustrated, questioning your salvation, angry at whoever wrapped up these lights (which was probably you). That’s how bondage works. It’s not always something we notice at first, but one small compromise, mindset, or belief, and before long, we’re entangled. Paul says, “Don’t let that happen. Stand firm.”
If we want to live in freedom, we have to trust that Jesus is enough for our salvation. We can’t do enough good or check the right boxes. If our obedience is replacing our Savior, it has become bondage.
Some people spend their whole lives trying to prove what Jesus has already settled. Have you ever gone to lunch with a friend, and they offer to pay? You say, “No, I’ll get it.” And they say, “No, I insist.” Then you do that little, awkward reach for your wallet because you’re supposed to, right? With Christ, we need to stop reaching for the wallet and just be thankful He paid it all.
Don’t be driven by legalism, which says, “I have to prove myself,” or by license, which says, “I have to please myself.” Those are bondage. You can’t earn what God has already given you, and you can’t use God’s grace as permission to do whatever you want. Instead, be driven by love.
Love wants God’s best for others. It’s not people pleasing or enabling. It’s serving, forgiving, and caring. Can you honestly say, “God, I want Your best for others?”
Release the bondage of unforgiveness, comparison, bitterness, and selfishness. Instead, walk in your freedom in Christ Jesus. Live today with love. Seek good for others. Life will not be absent of problems, but it will be peaceful if you choose to live in the freedom God has for you.
