“Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and of human dignity.” – Herbert Hoover

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For those of us raised in the United States, the word freedom is deeply woven into our cultural fabric. We proudly proclaim that we are free—free to live as we choose, free to pursue happiness. But in the pursuit of that freedom, many of us have hit a point where we start to question: Am I truly free?

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What if I told you that true freedom doesn’t come from striving harder, but from simply turning toward Jesus?

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Redefining Freedom: Is It Really What We Think?‍

In our context, freedom is often seen as the ability to live as we want, to express ourselves however we choose, and to validate our decisions, even when they clash with our neighbor's. But does this really set us free, or does it create another form of entanglement?

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Entangled: The Weight of Daily Life

The reality is that day-to-day life can feel more like bondage than freedom. Bills to pay, jobs to maintain, family challenges that seem impossible to overcome—all these "strands" can begin to coil around us, creating a spring of tension that’s waiting to burst. The more we try to manage everything, the tighter these bindings seem to become. It's easy to feel trapped, wondering if we will ever truly be free.

In these moments, we might be tempted to run, to start over, hoping that a clean slate will bring relief. But each attempt at escape seems to lead us back to the same place: bound up, frustrated, and longing for a deeper kind of freedom.

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Turn and See a Different View

What if true freedom comes not from escaping, but from turning to Jesus? What if He offers us a way to loosen the bindings that keep us from breathing deeply?

This past year, I’ve experienced this firsthand. My circumstances haven’t changed much, yet something has shifted inside me. Turning to Jesus has brought a lightness to my spirit, even in the midst of difficulty.

I began to see how the context in which I grew up—one that often elevated rules and regulations—had shaped my understanding of faith. Like many of us, I grew up believing that following the rules of Scripture would be the key to a successful Christian life. I measured my faith by how well I followed those rules. But as a leader in the church, new layers of expectations were added to that already heavy burden. People's opinions, congregational expectations, and leadership responsibilities became suffocating.

Then I turned my focus to Jesus—not just the rules I had been taught, but the person of Jesus in the Gospels. I began to notice how He responded to people with compassion, how He stood up for justice, how He grieved alongside Mary when Lazarus died. His way of living was rooted in love, grace, and mercy. He offered gentle correction to those seeking truth and spoke straight to those in opposition. His entire way of being was marked by freedom.

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Unshackling the Soul

As I continued to reflect on Jesus' way of living, I realized that He was inviting me into something deeper—a process of unshackling the soul. It wasn’t about following a list of rules or meeting expectations; instead, I felt Him whispering these words to my heart:

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"With God, there is no judgment, only loving correction. With God, there is no expectation, only invitation. Wherever God invites us to go, He goes with us, experiencing all that happens and strengthening us during the most turbulent times."

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This, my friends, is true freedom. It’s not about doing whatever we want; it’s about living in the truth that God loves us just as we are. He doesn’t place impossible expectations on us, nor does He leave us to figure it all out alone. Instead, He invites us into a journey—one where He walks with us, offering support, guidance, and love along the way. This process of "unshackling" is about discovering a new way of living—one that’s rooted in grace, presence, and trust.

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How Can You Embrace a New Way?

There’s a practice I’ve found helpful when life starts to feel overwhelming, when I feel tangled up by the pressures and demands around me. I invite you to try this exercise for yourself. Take a few minutes to watch the video and follow along with the practice. As you do, I believe you’ll begin to notice the loosening of your own bindings and experience a deeper sense of freedom.

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Give it a try, and let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear about your experience and have that conversation with you. After all, we’re in this journey together!

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