“Freedom does not mean I am able to do whatever I want to do. That’s the worst kind of bondage.”
Warren W. Wiersbe
The enemy can trick us into believing that true freedom is having no boundaries, no limits to what we choose to do or not do. That sounds a lot like a definition of sin that I’ve heard: “Doing what I want to do when I want to do it.” We may think that indulging in the ways we comfort ourselves is being free, when in reality we are really in bondage to those very idols. True freedom is not being held hostage by our desires but by submitting to the boundaries God has set before us. “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” (Psalm 16a).
I enjoy eating and sleeping, which are two of the idols I’m tempted to bow down to. I struggled to roll out of bed the other day when the Lord woke me up earlier than I desired. I eventually got up and God began to share how to make it easier to say no to my personal idols. He instructed me to focus on the benefits of the healthy boundaries He places upon me. I typically focus on the losses, what I’m giving up, such as sleep.
It’s amazing the difference it made when I began to focus on what I was gaining. God knows I love being up when no one else is awake. Sitting out on the deck listening to the birds’ chirp and having time alone with the Lord restores my soul as I hear His voice. Seeing the long term good from momentary sacrifice also motivates me to humbly obey God’s choices for my life. A better obedience is bowing to what God asks of us, not what our flesh desires.
The Lord showed me to not allow idols, such as sleep or food, to have any control or power over me. He wants to be the only God I submit to. True freedom lies in having no other idols rule and reign over my life. We experience true liberty when nothing or no one tugs on our heartstrings except the Lord.
We’re most free as we focus on the beauty of Jesus and allow our love for Him to dictate all we do. Letting God have the control and power over our lives is where true freedom lies.
“Freedom means I have been set free to become all that God wants me to be...”
Warren W. Wiersbe
Relevant Reflections:
1. What idols vie for your affection and attention?
2. Ask the Lord to help you fall more madly in love with Him which makes it easier for you to submit to His pleasant boundaries.
3. How can you change your focus from what you’re giving up to what you gain by obedience?