What does freedom mean? According to Webster...
1: the quality or state of being free:
a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : INDEPENDENCE
c : the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous
d : EASE, FACILITY
e : the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken
f : improper familiarity
g : boldness of conception or execution
h : unrestricted use
Ask yourself...
Are you feeling constrained, coerced, restrained or restricted? If so, you aren't free.
Do you feel like you can speak your mind at work, at home or in your neighborhood without fear of consequences, rejection or judgment? If not, you're not free.
Let's get a little bit closer to home...
Do you feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and commitments? Do you feel the pressure of paying bills and fixing up the house and disciplining and loving your children? Do you remember the last time you laughed with your spouse? Have you wondered how your life got to be so hectic and crazy? When is the last time you felt like you didn't have someone counting on you and only you? Do you feel like you can share what you are really struggling with with someone, anyone or do you fear rejection and judgment? Do you feel like you can't measure up? Do you feel trapped in your marriage or trapped in a rut with work and responsibilities? Do you feel worn out? Are you stuck in a downward spiral?
If you answered yes to any of these questions or if something else came to your mind that you may be struggling with (a death of someone close to you or fear of what is going on the world, etc.), then join the club. This seems to be the state of my life a lot of the time - pressures from work, home and church. Busy, busy, busy. Crying or whining kids. Need to mow, weed, and paint the deck. Then, a coworker my age has a husband die. Then, my car gets a tire stolen. Then... Well, you get the idea and I am certain that you are all to familiar with that life.
I got to thinking this morning, do I ever feel free? Am I free? Does anyone really feel free?
Let's find out what God has to say about this...
2 Corinthians 3:17 says:
"...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
Therefore, if you're not free, you need the Spirit of the Lord. Sounds good, but how? Let's continue in His word and see what He says...
2 Corinthians 3:18 says:
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Therefore, if we are being transformed into his likeness, there is evidence that the Spirit of the Lord is with us. But that is not what we need to do, that is what happens. What we need to do is to unveil our faces in order to reflect the Lord's glory. What does it mean to unveil our faces and what is the veil that Paul is talking about? Let's look...
2 Corinthians 3:18 says (underlines added):
13"We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away."
So, Moses was not allowing God's glory to reflect off of him so others would be able to see who God was. He was hiding or covering up God in His life with a veil. And the veil is taken away simply by turning to the Lord.
What I find in my own life is that when I am in a rut or struggling with the stresses and pressures of life that the last thing I want to do is turn to the Lord. In doing that, I am not allowing God to reflect off of me and I am living with unnecessary burdens - in the absence of freedom. In order to be released from this burden or restraint, all I need to do is turn to the Lord, let him take off my veil and reflect off of me His glory. Simply by turning to Him, I will be transformed into his likeness - I will be free! And so will you!
