Day 20- Freedom
Author: Nina Fowler
When I think about the idea of freedom, I sometimes want to remember just the opposite. The slavery side. The shackles. Darkness. Loneliness. Because, when I think about the past and who I was and what I was brought out of, my life today is put into perspective. There is so much joy in celebrating the redeeming qualities of the Lord when you remember what was redeemed.
So, let’s start at the beginning… for me at least. At the beginning of last year, my husband and I lost our baby. It wasn’t a long pregnancy. But, we had already been trying for what seemed like months, so it was a huge loss for us. In the middle of a worldwide shutdown, I was alone in my room– grieving a baby I didn’t get to hold; A baby barely anyone knew about. In the middle of my pain, I felt so alone, and in that loneliness, the enemy saw my cracks. The shackles - one after another - began to weigh me down with lies.
“You’re not good enough. This was your fault. This is your burden to carry.”
They were all lies from the mouth of the biggest lier of all time. But, you know what, for a little while, it was easier to believe the lies than to lean in to the God of Truth. That was my story for a huge part of 2020. That will always be my story for 2020. The best thing, however, is that this will never be the end of my story.
Because in the middle of the pain and the heartache; in the middle of trying to carry the burden myself, God was working out a new story. One full of promises. One that starts with freedom. One that will break the shackles and bondages. And, my favorite about all of this, is that this freedom and these promises I’m talking about is not just for me. It’s for you too!
So, I don’t know what your life looks like right now. I don’t know what is keeping you from living life fully in the Lord’s promises. But, what I do know is that God is speaking a new story over you too.
John 8:36 says, So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. That’s what I’m speaking over you today. It doesn’t say, “You might be free.” It doesn’t say, “Depending on how what you do and how good you are, you will be free.” It says “You will be free.” I love the assurance in that. There’s no second guessing it.
You were once a slave to sin. A slave to the lies of the enemy. But, you are a slave NO MORE. Whoever the Son sets free is free indeed... today, tomorrow and the day after that, and the day after that. I’m praying that you will believe in this promise today, friend! Because, when you do, you will see how much God has in store for you.
PRAY: Lord, today, I honor my past. But, the past is not the end of my story. I believe in you as my Redeemer. You are creating a new story in me. You are breaking shackles. You are setting your children free and THAT is what I am leaning into. You are a good, good Father, Lord! Thank you for saving me. Thank you for walking with me always. Amen.