Free Indeed

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Joh 8:36 AV)

I am reminded this morning, and actually quite convicted, that we are free as long as we wish to be.  In my reading, the Apostle recanted the story of the cripple at Bethesda.  Jesus asked him if he wanted to be made whole.  His response was he had no man who would place him in the water when it stirred.  That was not the question.  The question was simple.  Do you want to be free from the disease or don’t you?  Then we read this statement.  If Jesus has made us free, then we are free indeed.  Period.  End of story!

We are not victims.  That is, unless we make ourselves victims.  Not of physical circumstances, mind you.  When my shoulder was locked up, I was a victim of calcium build up on me shoulder bones.  What we are speaking of is being in bondage to sin or how we experience life.  Trials are part of life.  They are difficult.  Sin is a fact of life until we are taken from this sin-sick world.  Sometimes, whether it is health failure, financial struggles, family issues, marriage challenges, etc., there is nothing we can do but wait on God.  However, since we have God in our corner, then we are free indeed.  It is all a matter of how we look at it.

We can choose to face adversity as an opportunity to grow, or we can whither under it wishing it never happened.  Recently, I have been diagnosed with a thorn in the flesh.  Although not life threatening, it will change forever how I have to live my life from now on.  This thorn in the flesh will dictate to me the choices I can and cannot make as well as how I choose to experience life.  It is truly life changing.  However, this thorn is an answer to prayer.  I have been praying the LORD would give me permanent victory in an area of my life and the thorn may very well be the answer.  For this I am grateful.  Furthermore, like Paul, the prayer and hope is the thorn remains so that victory can become permanent.  One affliction may me free from another.  We are free, indeed!  We are not victims.  We are more than conquerors in Christ.  It is too easy to forget what Paul said. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Ro 8:37 AV) And, he said that after he was denied relief from the thorn.