Learning to Live in Christ’s Freedom - The Crosswalk Devotional - July 22
Learning to Live in Christ’s Freedom
By Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17
In my teen years, I responded to my chaotic and painful environment by seeking control—through dieting. Soon, however, this unhealthy coping mechanism began to control me, and the very act that initially provided a sense of strength—pseudo strength—only added to the feelings of hopelessness from which I so desperately sought to escape. Initially, I tried to fight my eating disorder in my own strength, but this inevitably led to failure and shame. I began to experience the freedom I sought, not just from disordered eating, but the wounds driving it, when I invited God into my struggle and learned to rely, more consistently, on His power at work within me.
While I’ve come a long way, praise God, since my self-destructing adolescence, my soul still contains wounds for which I need the Lord’s healing, and self-sabotaging patterns in need of His freedom. I gain the courage to follow Him in that transformative journey when I reflect not on the difficulty of obedience but instead on the heart of the One doing the leading.
Jesus longs to see me, and you, living in the freedom of grace. This is a beautiful gift bestowed upon everyone who’s trusted in Christ for salvation. His Spirit does indeed set us free—from the enslaving pull of sin, from the threat of death, and the punishment we deserve for all our moral failings.
Yet, if this is true, why do so many of us still struggle with self-sabotaging, unChrist-like behaviors? Like lashing out when we’re hurt, angry, or feel under attack, or withdrawing and isolating in self-protection? Comforting ourselves with a quart of ice cream, numbing out through hours of television watching or mindlessly scrolling through our social media feeds?
We’ve received spiritual freedom through faith in Christ, but now we need to learn to live in it. We do this, in part, by becoming more alert to God’s presence within us and all around us. As today’s verse states, He is Spirit. This means He’s not bound by space or time. He remains present in our greatest challenges and regrets and plants within our souls hope for our future.
Today’s verse also reminds us of His heart toward us, His children. He longs to see us living vibrantly, beautifully free. That was why Jesus came.
Foretelling Christ’s mission, as if through His voice, the prophet Isaiah wrote:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor (Isaiah 61:1-3, NIV).
Intersecting Life & Faith:
Jesus brings good news—a message of love, grace, hope, and thriving life. He pursues those held captive to sin, the wounds that come from living in our broken world, and the lies those wounds often create.
He sees our pain, understands our most intense struggles, and He meets us not with condemnation or frustration but instead, compassion. He lifts us out of the ashes and crowns us with beauty and a garment of praise.
And He invites us to turn to Him, to rely on Him, trust in Him, and yield to His Spirit at work within us. That is how we experience ever-deepening freedom—not through striving, but rather, through connecting with and resting in Him.
Stated another way: so long as we do our best to follow Him, He will lead us to greater freedom. And when we mess up, which we will, we can trust Him to pursue us and His Spirit to draw us back to Himself. To quote my therapist, He does the heavy lifting. All He’s asking is that we hold tight for the ride.
Further Reading:
John 10:7-10
John 8:36
Galatians 5:1, 16-18
Photo Credit: © Unsplash/Mohamed Nohassi
Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who co-hosts the Faith Over Fear podcast and, along with a team of 6, the Your Daily Bible Verse podcast. She’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and taught at writers conferences across the nation. She’s the author of Building a Family and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLou
She’s passionate about helping people experience Christ’s freedom in all areas of their lives. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event, and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and GodTube.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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