Are We REALLY Free?

They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity -- for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 
2 Peter 2:19 (NIV)

Know that a person is a slave to whatever controls him or her. Are you really 'free' doing anything you want to do? In my opinion no one is ever completely free thinking in that mindset. The bottom line is if we refuse to follow God, we will follow our own sinful desires and become embolden to the carnal nature of having no self-control. Submitting our lives to Christ is the only answer. He alone loosens our shackles, frees our minds and gives usnew leases on life. People don't realize how they are burdened and ladened with obstacles that are weighing them down, thus rendering them prisoners to their own whims. Witness the fact that living in a world full of ungodly practices, apostasy, backsliding and other maladies not of Christian value will send us further from the Truth. I'm wondering how things would be if your sins were worthy of you spending time in jail! Paul had every reason to be stressed out and full of angst. But guess what?! He wasn't. Rather than succumb to ennui, he made the most of his time there…he planted (apple) seeds for all of the churches he established, hoping that new converts wouldn't be unfaithful to God with the messages he sent by Timothy admonishing them to stay the course. My alluding to 'appleseeds' is a way of pointing you to the righteous apples that only quality living can give you!

We further see Paul, the imprisoned apostle not worrying about his condition. He doesn't compromise and doesn't worry about if he'll ever get out…and we all know that in that dungeon he was beaten, lied about, tossed every which way but right, and totallg neglected. His chains never come off. The Roman guards never left. But what does that tells us? Are we REALLY free? I bring to you the status of Paul because despite it all, he stayed true to his beliefs, and knew that God would deliver him -- because he believed! We too, should be like this, knowing that freedom is precious…a commodity not to be taken for granted. Worldly compulsions and pressures for conformity stifle our creativity and erode our dignity. As we grow in our relationship to our Higher Power, we get stronger and more balanced in our unique qualities. Albeit, some of us have a talent for empathizing with others, some for writing and other facets of the humanities, but if there is no recipe that prescribes exactly what kind of faith we should exhibit, then what price freedom? 

I've always felt that freedom means the right to be different, the right to be oneself, and of course the right to live a life of quality doing the right thing. Reading what Paul went through and the consequences of being deprived of freedom, I've come to believe wholeheartedly that nobody can really give you freedom but yourself…if you are a person of convictions you take it! Claim the right to serve one Master. Real emancipation can't come at someone else's initiative or as a gift. It can only begin from within -- deep in your soul. You will do so by saying, "I will take my independence and not be burdened by the weight of sin." Then we will become responsible people because we own it on the inside. I'm not perfect, but I'm striving to be rid of what's holding me back. My prayer will resolve around not waiting for others to set me free, though. I will do what is within my own power to be free…thus, I am grateful for the need to be uniquely and fully myself! Will you think on this?