One summer morning, a few days before Independence Day, I walked into one of the classrooms at the preschool where I taught. The children had been shuffled inside after playing outdoors and were obediently sitting on the rug they sat on every morning at this time. As I walked in the classroom with a smile on my face, ready to read a story aloud, I noticed something familiar out of the corner of my eye. As I took a few steps closer, I quickly recognized the red, white, and blue object that had caught my attention. As I stared at the small American flag standing proudly in the corner of the classroom, a strong emotion came over me. How can a simple cloth, made up with stars and stripes, make a grown adult feel like weeping? Was I merely caught up in the spirit of the upcoming holiday? Or could it be that I was experiencing the emotion I feel whenever I'm reminded of the freedom I've been bought by the blood of another?
What a blessing it is when July 4th comes along and America finally celebrates what she should be celebrating all year long: Freedom. It's so easy to take for granted the blessings we experience every day, especially for those who have never lived without it. But for those of us who once were lost and now are found, who remember what it was like before we allowed Christ to set us free from our chains, freedom is the single greatest gift we have ever received.
As I sat down with a Bible in my lap and my head bowed in prayer, I began to ponder the word Freedom in my heart. It wasn't long before I began asking myself, "What is freedom really about? Is it merely a word that gives us a warm fuzzy feeling inside? Is it an unattainable dream or, worse yet, an excuse for crudeness and laziness? Though freedom was purchased at the highest price, has it become nothing more than an excuse for complacency?"
I cried out to the Lord and begged for His forgiveness on behalf of myself and my country! How can we take for granted the greatest gift He has ever given us? I bowed my head once more and asked the Lord to tell me how I can truly live in the complete freedom He has graciously given.
And He answered, "Forgive others as I have forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32b, paraphrased)
What? What on earth does forgiveness have to do with freedom?
And then it dawned on me: There are few things that bind us in tighter chains than the sin of unforgiveness. You see, unforgiveness has a lot of friends: Bitterness, resentment, jealousy, pain, and anger, to name a few. If we allow these things a place in our heart, we are hindering ourselves from making a greater impact for the Kingdom.
Reverend Bruce Goettsche perfectly described the results of forgiveness versus unforgiveness when he said,
"Forgiveness not only releases us physically and emotionally, it also releases us SPIRITUALLY."
"An unforgiving heart binds the Holy Spirit's ability to work. It becomes a barrier to effective and fruitful ministry. An unwillingness to forgive disrupts our fellowship with God. It steals from us the joy of knowing His forgiveness in our lives."
You see, my friends, when we choose unforgiveness, we are actually choosing to give up a piece of the freedom that is offered us in Christ. We are choosing to be bound by chains. By forgiving others we are not justifying their sin, but are freeing ourselves so that we can begin to heal and move on.
And so, on this Independence Day, I urge you to consider the freedom that you've been offered. Is there anything that you are allowing to hold you back from experiencing it fully? Are you holding on to bitterness, jealousy, hatred, anger, or anything that keeps you from knowing freedom completely? The choice is yours:
What will YOU choose to occupy your heart?
What will YOU choose to occupy your heart?
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:25
"My chains are gone, I've been set free. My God, my Savior, has ransomed me. And like a flood, His mercy reigns. Unending love, amazing grace." <3>
