Free at last

July 4, 1993: While most of the country was celebrating our nation’s independence from Great Britain, I was declaring my independence from sin. That’s because on that day, I went down to the front of my home church and told everyone that I had become a Christian. Sure, I’d been thinking about it for months, but it was that day that I decided to make my decision known.

I wore a white dress and a red, white, and blue bow in my hair. I was all decked out for Independence Day. (Hey, I was 9, and it was the 90s!) I just didn’t know the freedom I was actually celebrating that day because to me at that age, faith was less about freedom and more about rules and consistent attendance at church, choir, and G.A.s (Girls in Action, for those of you who aren’t familiar with that acronym). Sure, I was learning about God (which is important), but I wasn’t really “getting” Him. I knew what I should and shouldn’t do, but why I should or shouldn’t was kind of vague.

We get caught up in the do’s and don’ts, don’t we? Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t brag. Don’t cuss. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. I know that I catch myself thinking: “As long as I’m not lying, stealing, cheating, having sex, drinking, and killing people, then Jesus must be pretty happy with me. I’m a good Christian!” Do you ever feel the same way? Or maybe you’ve heard someone say that Christians are free from legalistic rules. That’s true, but there’s more to the story.

The fact of the matter is that I’m very free—free to live as Christ’s slave. Kind of puts a damper on my personal liberties, hmm? While living as someone’s slave may not sound appealing, let me tell you that I’ve tried life my way. I’ve been my own master and ignored the rules and tried to live how I thought best (especially when I didn’t feel like I was getting any direction from God). And it left me distant from God. Finally, I got to a place where I was so tired of trying to figure out where my life was headed that I gave up. I told God that if He’d make it clear, I’d go wherever He wanted me to, even if I didn’t really want to go there. (I was positive He would send me to Ethiopia as a missionary. I have no clue why.) I was so desperate for direction that it didn’t really matter where He was leading me, as long as He was the one in charge of the navigating!

And you know what? His answer didn’t come immediately. I’ve spent more than seven years trying to make sure I was where God wanted me. I tried to get to know Him a little better in hopes that it would make my path clearer. But as a very wise boss and friend told me once, “You’re never quite sure that you were where you were supposed to be until you turn around and see where your path led you.”

The future is never quite as clear as we’d like it to be (at least for most of us). And while you’re living in that confusion of “What’s my purpose in life and what am I supposed to be doing?,” know that God hears your questions. He’s lining up the answers. You may not know them in a year, five years, fifty years, or even on this side of eternity. But one day, you will look back and be able to see where you were in the right places (and maybe where you weren’t).

It’s not really up to you to make sure that your life accomplishes what you think it should. Relax into the fact that if you’re loving God with all you’ve got and loving others as a result, then you’re probably in the right place. Embrace the freedom He’s given you to love. To be loved. To serve. And to enjoy this life He’s given you.

No matter when you became a Christian, I’d like to wish you a happy Independence Day (and a happy fourth of July!). You’re free from all that baggage you feel like you need to keep hauling around. Now get out there and celebrate!