Real Freedom

Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold.

DURING MY QUIET TIMES, I studied the “you are’s” that God says about us. I was encouraged by the positive ones, like you are strong, chosen, children of the promise, and standing firm.

But for me personally, the ones that were most freeing first appeared negative. Some of these, I didn’t even like. I wished they weren’t even there! For example, 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 explains, “You are still not ready. You are still worldly” (NIV). Romans 6:19 points out that we have “human limitations” (NIV). Hebrews 5:11 mentions that we “no longer try to understand” (NIV).

I came to realize that freedom isn’t the same as denial. I am slow to learn, weak, and still worldly, and if I ever think I have arrived, I will be lying to myself. These things are just as true about me and you as all the other more positive things God says about who we are.

God has done us a favor when he tells us in Matthew 15:19, “From the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery… slander.” It is to our advantage to know that we have a selfish bent wanting our way over God’s way.

And every time we give in to our selfishness, we prove that “no one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one” (Romans 3:10-12).

God knows that we don’t always have it all together. But it is also clear that as we embrace our imperfections and acknowledge we are weak, we gain the ability to become strong. Paul said: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

First Corinthians seems to say, we have a choice.^a Choose well today.