How many of us, when our parents set a boundary, thought, “Someday, I’ll be old enough to do whatever I want.” We dreamt of all the things we would do when we were free. Where we would go. How much money we would spend. How late we would stay up. And then, just like that, we were old enough to move out on our own. The sweet nectar of freedom!
I remember going to college, with unlimited freedom, and no one to oversee my actions. It was bliss – at first. Before long, however, I had spent all the money in my meal account because Taco Mayo had such good burritos and was open until 2 am (who could blame me?). Plus, I had flunked out of school because I found it inconvenient to regularly attend classes. What I perceived as freedom became a huge hardship.
When you read, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free,” what comes to mind? Does freedom really mean doing anything we want? Is that always the best path? Going hog-wild without boundaries can ultimately leave us in more bondage. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, You say, “I am allowed to do anything” —but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. True freedom submits itself to the lordship of Jesus. Grace isn’t a license to do anything we want – it’s the power to operate in a healthy way when given freedom. If you’re courting the line of, “how far can I go with this?” or if you’re actually living in bondage rather than true freedom, remember the Father waits for the prodigal to come home. True freedom comes from laying aside our own indulgent pleasures and pursuing the mind of Christ.
REFLECT AND RESPOND
Have you been indulging your freedom in areas that don’t fall under the Lordship of Jesus? What is one step you can take to bring that area into alignment?
By Larry Boatright
