Free Indeed

I want to ask you a question that I want you to ponder for a moment.

Do you feel free?

As you ponder this I want to read something my husband sent me one day.

“You are powerful, and you are free to make your reality as you wish it to be. You are powerful, and you are free to live your heart’s desire. You are powerful, and you are free to be all that you are in every moment. You are powerful, and you are free to love your life, and to love yourself, and to do the things that bring you joy, and to do the things you love. “

When I read this message, I had to get really honest with myself. Do I feel free? Do I believe what I just read?

No. Honestly, there were parts of this message that I can honestly say I do not believe and have not seen in my life. So the next question I had to ask myself was, “Why”?  Well, simple. I believe something different. I do believe God has given me power, absolutely! But, I have limited that power to a very small box in several categories of my life.

For example, III John 2, which is an amazing truth, is a verse I believe in part, but unless I am seeing all of it in my life, there is obviously a part I don’t believe.

“Beloved, I wish above all things that though mayest prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” KJV

“Beloved friend, I pray that you are prospering in every way and that you continually enjoy good health, just as your soul is prospering.” TPT

“Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health (physical), just as (I know) you should prosper (spiritually).” AMP

“I pray for good fortune in everything you do, and for your good health-that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul!” MSG

“Beloved, concerning all things, I desire thee to proposer, and to be in health, even as thy soul prospers.” Young’s

Prosper in the Greek is the word edoomai which means “to be brought along to a smooth and prosperous journey” or “to be continually prospered (until success) in every way. The Aramaic can be translated “as much as succeeds you”.

Edoomai is a state of being. It’s a state of flourishing, and a state of fullfillment.

So, I ask myself, do I feel free?

Am I in a state of being that flourishes and is fulfilled? Or, am I in a state that binds, limits, holds onto, stymies, encases, or enslaves parts of me?

The statement sent to me said I am “free.”

Free to:

• be all that I am in every moment
• free to love my life
• free and to love myself
• free to do the things that bring me joy
• free to do the things I love

The next thing I had to look at was this question, “Is any of this even biblical?” They are really kind words, but is this even God’s heart or just words?

So, I went to God’s heart, His written Word. I spent some time in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, who was given wisdom from God. In Ecclesiastes 1 and 2, Solomon is pretty morose. He says life is awful, it has no purpose, no meaning, blah blah blah…. but as he continues working on his inner being, he soon shifts to a more positive view. In Chapter 5, Solomon encourages God’s people to discover and enjoy the richness of life that God has given.

¹⁸ Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

¹⁹ Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

²⁰ For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.  Ecclesiastes 5:18-2

Solomon encourages us to enjoy the rewards God provides in life. I have found myself many times not allowing myself to enjoy abundance. It may sound weird to you, but it’s true. I have either felt guilty for having fun, guilty for having more than I needed, or guilty for expressing my joy. But let me get honest, God does not motivate by fear of guilt, so that “feeling” is not from Him.

Then where is it coming from?

It is coming from within my own thoughts. False belief systems that I have built have told me, “I can only enjoy life to this point…I’m not allowed to go further than here.” That is a lie!

⁹ Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 9:9

Solomon is saying to the husband, “Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your life.” Vanity doesn’t mean worthless it means our lives are like a vapor; it is fleeting and temporary. Solomon is saying, “Since you only live for so long, enjoy life with the wife you love!”  

One beautiful truth that each of these verses all conclude is that God is the one who gives; God is the one who wants us to enjoy life.

I am a child of the most high God. He is my source and life. It is not life itself that brings joy, but because God chooses to love me, He freely gives abundance to me and I get to enjoy it. But, just as He can only give me what I can handle when it comes to responsibility, He can only bless me as big as I allow Him to!

If I go to God closed-fisted, begging, in doubt and fear, I —I said, “I” limit His ability to bless me. I limit the flow; I limit the abundance.This is just not a place I want to be anymore.  I want to open armed, fearlessly, without doubt, without fear, and uninhibitedly thank Him for His abundance and then expect it: An abundance of joy, an abundance of peace, an abundance of ice cream 9cause I really love ice cream), an abundance of laughter, an abundance of travel (cause I really love travel)~

Open ready, ready to receive!

I want to close with John 8:35-36