Slowly, bit by bit, the restrictions due to Covid are now being relaxed and lifted. For some the lack of physical contact with family and friends has been the hardest part. We have missed those bonds of love and companionship outside of our household, being able to be with other people. While others have missed the large outdoor spaces and are now flooding back, to visit the mountains and the beaches, to enjoy the peace and tranquility.
But there is also a place of no restrictions that has nothing to do with the literal wide-open space, and has everything to do with real freedom!
Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’
John 8:31-32
What does it mean ‘the truth will set you free?’
Jesus was responding to the ongoing dispute over His identity. He was speaking to many new believers of the freedom that comes with faith in Him. They did not understand straight away that Jesus was speaking of spiritual freedom. Everyone who sins is a slave to sin for we cannot break free in our own strength, which is why we need a Saviour.
The truth that Jesus brings is the revelation of God’s salvation plan. True freedom only comes when we are reconciled to God, with the knowledge of the forgiveness of our sins, by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
John 8:36
Freedom from Fear
When we realise that we are set free from fear in God’s perfect love for us, we are released into the wide-open space of His grace. A place of acceptance, a place of blessing, a place where there is a deep inner rest for our souls.
God created each one of us uniquely, with an individual plan and purpose for our lives. Only you can do, what you can do! In faith we are set free from the fear of failure, and what other people might think of us. There comes a release and a new freedom to try, to step out trusting in God’s plan for our lives.
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May our choices be led by faith, rather than be governed by fear!
Freedom from Restriction
In faith, we can start to remove the restrictions that we, and maybe even other people, have placed on ourselves.
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
Psalm 139:14
We are God’s masterpiece, each one of us individual and precious to Him, we are not mass produced. God has a plan for you, which fits perfectly with who you are, because God made you for that reason. It will not be the same as His plan for me, or for the next person – in the wide open space of God’s grace there is room for each one of us.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10
Freedom from Comparison
When we look competitively at someone else’s life, and we start to compare ourselves to others, our focus slips. If we are not careful, envy and covetousness can try to gain a hold. Seeds of discontent may start to creep in and we look at what we think we lack, rather than what we have been given. We justify to ourselves, if only I had what they had, then I could be doing what they are doing – but the fact is, we are not meant to be doing what anyone else is doing!
Freedom from Expectation
God’s unique plan for you is exactly that, and to be able to walk in that plan free from other people’s expectations, is the freedom of being yourself in the Lord!
“By entering through faith into what God has always wanted for us – set us right with him, make us fit for him – we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand – out in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise”.
Romans 5:1-2 MSG
Is God whispering to your spirit? This may be a time to re-imagine the way ahead. A time to seek God for fresh direction and purpose. Will you join with me? Edging out into the wide-open space, to shout our praise and glory to God, visible for all to see, with the freedom to be ourselves, secure in our God given identity.
Thanks for the encouragement in these trying times.
I had been working on something else, but felt that this was needed – there are times when we all need encouragement. Thank you for responding.
The wide-open space of God’s grace! I love that! Grace has been a theme, it seems, in many of today’s posts. I so stand in need of His grace…to really explore the wide-open spaces His abundant life for me offers. I tend to live small (withdrawn) and no doubt I am missing much! So enjoyed your post today!!
Thank you for responding – this is a theme that God is working in me at this time. I have been comfortable to stay quiet and in the background, but with immense patience God is nudging me forward!
A great reminder! Too often I don’t pray for big things because I assume God won’t answer the big prayer. but God is bigger than I know!
Exactly – I was thinking sometimes we bring God down to the size of our expectations – He is challenging me to expand my thinking! Thank you for your encouragement 🙂
It was for freedom that Christ set us free. You touched on so many vital truths here. Thanks for these important reminders of truth.
It will be interesting to see what life is like when the pandemic settles down. I so agree that we can only do what God created us to do, in dependence upon Him–not what He has called someone else to do.
I think there’s still a lot of changes ahead – thanks for responding ????
God don’t want to be put into a box!
Exactly! Thanks for your response 🙂
Awesome reminder God’s plan is larger than what we can ever imagine we just need to let go of fear and live into God’s plan for our lives! Live in the wide open spaces of all the possibilities!
That’s the challenge – and it is a probably an ongoing on – we think we’ve grasped it and then God challenges us again! Thanks for your response 🙂
“…the wide-open spaces of God’s grace” — I love that! Good reminder that God created us unique, and we can flourish when we are doing what God uniquely called us to do.
I love this. It’s so true we definitely need to stay focused. I love when you speak about staying content. In. World where it’s so easy to compare ourselves to others we need to remember that God has a specific plan for us
“Often we limit ourselves because we limit God!” I love this statement. When I read it, my eyes opened to that truth and made me question what I have set limits on. Thank you so much for this reminder!
So glad it spoke to your heart – thank you for responding!
Thanks for getting me to think outside of the spiritual box! 🙂
Glad to hear you were challenged… 🙂
Sharon, thank you for this reminder to let go of comparison and focus on who God has made us to be. You’re right … that’s where true freedom is found!