What are you living for? Are you living to make another dollar, to get by another day? Do you live in fear, afraid you will lose your job, lose your spouse, lose your children, lose your sense of worth? Are you trapped by fear, anxiety, and worry? Would you like to break free?
Fear runs rampant in today’s society. One of the most prevalent fears is not being accepted by others. We twist, turn, and alter our values so we are accepted. We are pressured in our workplaces, friend groups, and families. The fear of being cast aside is powerful.
We are told that we are not to live in the flesh but to live by the Spirit. We are set free in Jesus Christ. This freedom does mean we can do whatever we want. It means that we do not need to strive to fit into cultural expectations. We do not need to work our fingers to the bone to buy everything we are told we need. After all, we don’t need it. When we take a moment to think deeply about it, all we truly need is a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat. Everything else is a luxury.
When we live by the Spirit, we are set free from the world’s concerns. It doesn’t mean we should not pay attention and strive to make our world better. It means we are not slave to the world. We are no longer in bondage. We live in the world but are not of the world. Our faith reminds us that God is in control. Since we belong to him, he will care for us. We can freely ignore the expectations of the world to follow God’s Spirit.
I pray we all know we have been set free in Jesus Christ. I pray we know we have been set free from worldly expectations. I pray each one of us put our faith in Jesus and trust He is in control. You have been set free in Christ. You do not need to live by worldly expectations. Put your faith in Jesus. Trust God is in control.
Romans 8:14-15 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption.
Marty Pressey 