Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin ~John 8:34
The essence of freedom is based on principles of boundlessness. By this definition, freedom is intuitive in nature. Stalwart in stance. And often referred to as inalienable rights. As such, freedom opposes restraint, regulation, and enslavement and is intended to allow us to co-exist with those that differ in beliefs, attitudes, and opinions while maintaining respect and order (well, for the most part at least).
But when it comes to personal freedoms, the freedoms that govern the intimate parts of our lives and the choices we make, they are not intuitive in nature, they are intentional. We have to define principles that dictate the why behind what we do and establish boundaries that protect us in the process.
Contradictory to the freedom that defines us as a nation, personal freedom insists on boundaries. These boundaries typically develop from our faith, family, education, and experience. As a result, we have to work against the grain of our natural bent toward self-comfort that desires to enslave us.
Our verse this week doesn’t mince words. It states that when we practice boundlessness we become slaves to it. It requires little thought and even less fight to exist in a no-rules world where creature comforts reign supreme.
This calls us to be intentional about self-care over self-comfort.
It might seem counter-cultural but faith-informed freedom is paved with good boundaries. And at first, this feels like restraint and rules but soon enough wisdom shows herself as freedom and it all starts with the boundless love of our great God.
This week, our charge is to challenge our numbing routines. Be sure to question if your habit is one of self-comfort or self-care? Then make an intentional choice to incorporate a boundary that paves a better path to the freedom you truly desire.
Be bold. Be brave. Be free.
Tell Me More:
- Take inventory of your habits. Do you have patterns of self-comfort?
- How can you make a more honoring practice of self-care in this area?
- Make a plan to establish a boundary that paves a better path to the freedom you desire.