What Are You Going To Do About It?
Monday, 04 July 2011 22:01 | 
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This is an adaptation of what I said at church yesterday. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
I recently read a book series called “The Hunger Games.” In the books, they needed freedom from a lot of things. If you don't know anything about the books, they are basically set in a post-apocalyptic world where North America once was. A central city, “the Capitol” holds all the power. The Capitol keeps the rest of the country under it's thumb in horrible oppression.
The heroine, a 16 year-old girl named Katniss, has to fight for her freedom, actually for her life, from the capitol. As I read all three books, I almost couldn't believe what it must be like to have that many things working against you. A government who takes away all of your independence to maintain absolute power. A literal battle for her life because she becomes a pawn in someone else's game that she is forced to play. And an internal struggle with her motives that she can't seem to escape.
As I wondered what that must be like, I realized that there are people around me who live like that. Of course, it's not that literal in our lives, but I know there are people out there who feel like everything is working against them; like nothing seems to go right. People who have a hard time seeing any hope.
So what things do you need to be free from? Your answer is probably not an oppressive government, or the worry of what your family will do when you leave to go fight for your life. But there is probably something. Different things weigh on all of us.
There are pretty much two categories I can break most of those things into. We are either chained to something within our control, often caused by our own sin. Or by things outside of our control, possibly caused by circumstances or other people. For most of us, it's probably a combination of both.
Let's start with the blame we can place on ourselves.
Maybe it's that you tried to live outside your means are are now in debt, feel like you're drowning, and feel like you have no way to get afloat again.
Maybe you made so many mistakes in your past that you live every day with those decisions on your shoulders.
Or maybe your battling an addiction. That could be to many different things.
Maybe you hurt someone you love, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
The thing is, no matter what it is, it's holding you back. Whether you realize it or not, it's keeping you from living the life God has called you to.
In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Whether we want to admit it to ourselves or not, that's not possible when we're shackled to something.
The Bible says, “everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” We could all be oppressed by something. We just don't usually call it that. But like Jesus says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
I'm not saying that if you're in debt, and you let Jesus set you free, then your debt will just disappear. Or that if you've made mistakes, you won't have to find away to work through them. Or that if you have an addiction, you'll magically stop craving it. Or even that if you know you've hurt someone, it'll all just go away without any work on your part.
Obviously things don't work like that. But through faith, God gives us the tools to deal with it. Ways to get through it. People to help us. And most importantly, hope.
You see, we get the freedom from living in bondage to our sin. While we still may have to deal with earthly consequences of our actions, we do not have to worry that God will make us pay for what we've done. Because of His mercy, we are released from our obligation to pay for the sins we've committed. He sent His son to die on a cross so we don't have to.
The other side of things that we are in bondage to are caused by circumstances or even other people.
Maybe your home was destroyed in a flood or a fire and you lost everything.
Maybe someone lied to you and completely broke your trust, not only in them, but in other people, too.
Maybe someone you love was killed in an accident.
Or maybe something was stolen from you.
Maybe you struggle with depression, an eating disorder, or struggle to see your own worth because of something that was done to you.
Or maybe it's something even bigger. Something that you can't even utter, but that you try to forget.
On Saturday night, I decided to watch “The Glee Project.” I hadn't seen any of the episodes, so I watched all three. On the third episode, called “Vulnerability,” their music video project was the song “Mad World” originally sung by Tears for Fears. Each contestant had to wear a sign with huge block letters showing their greatest insecurity. Some of the words they chose were: fat, numb, rejected, used, misunderstood, and anorexic. I watched the pain in their eyes as they sang the words to the song...
As tears filled my eyes, I realized that it was no different than everything else I'm saying. Those words, those signs are the reminder of what they could live their lives bound to. I could make a sign right here and now and put it on my chest for everyone to see. But the good news for me, and for you, is that through faith, we can rip them off and tear them up.
In one of his Nooma videos, Rob Bell says, “Everyone I know has wounds. And some are small, kind of petty, you know. You just need to get over it. But for a lot of people they're big and serious and deep wounds.”
We all have those wounds. Just like the ones the contestants had to put out there for the world to see on “The Glee Project.” I don't know what yours are, or how deep they are, but I can tell all of you this, you don't have to be chained to them anymore!
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins,
we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”
- 1 Peter 2:24
I like that last part, by His wounds you have been healed. You are healed, you are whole. You are set free to forgive yourself, and set free to forgive others. Those chains holding you back are gone through His unending love, his flood of great mercy.
He has already set us free, so the question now is, what are we going to do about it?
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;
rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
- Galatians 5:13
But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;
rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
- Galatians 5:13
So again, we've been set free, now what are we going to do about it?
We are all free to do millions of things with our life. That verse makes it pretty clear that we aren't supposed to use that freedom for ourselves, we are meant to use it to help others.
We are free to invite our friends or family with us to church, Christian concerts, or other events. We are free to learn about God at camp, on retreats, or through other people. We are free to use our talents through drama, music, art, or working with kids. We are free to go and serve Him on a mission trip, through different service organizations, or in our own communities. We are free to serve one another humbly in love. And above all, we are free to live for Christ. We have been given so much, and we are now set free to do an infinite number of things.
Because we have faith in God, we are free. That freedom is from His love and should give us peace and hope in our lives. But more than hearing me say it, or even knowing it's true, we are called to live that freedom out every day.
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities
that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom
to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.”
Last Updated (Monday, 04 July 2011 22:03)
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