Freedom

I heard something today that stopped me in my tracks. One of those moments when you hear something that speaks to your heart so loudly, you can’t help but take a minute and let it sink in. It was from a gentleman by the name of Dan Dougherty and he said:

When you are completely authentic, you have nothing to hide

When you are broken, you have nothing to prove

When you’re connected to Jesus, you have nothing to lose

He had been telling a story from the bible referred to as “the woman at the well”. The abbreviated version of the story is a woman, who was looked down on by others, an outcast in society, was getting water from a well in the middle of the day. It was the hottest part of the day and she went there at that time to avoid running into others. Jesus met her there. She had an encounter with Him, she experienced Jesus, and the shame she felt about her life, it was gone. In fact, after speaking with Jesus she ran back to town and told everyone about her encounter with him and how “He told me everything I ever did.” (John 4:39)

This makes me smile and shake my head in that joyful disbelief kind of way. This is Jesus. Jesus brings freedom. The kind of freedom where the things that for years, decades, even lifetimes, that keep you emotionally captive, hurting, ashamed, are broken off. That experience or those feelings you didn’t want anyone to know about, all of a sudden become a story you freely share with others because of the healing and freedom Jesus brings to it.

I remember when I was going through my divorce, I was deeply ashamed. My husband choosing another, closing the chapter of our life together, it left me feeling embarrassed, unloved, not good enough. So much so that I didn’t tell my family for nearly 6 months. It wasn’t until my dad came over unexpectedly and found my ex-husband physically moving his belongings out of our home that the truth was revealed. That time of my life, once filled with so much darkness and pain, has now become one of the experiences I’m most thankful for. Why? Because it’s what brought me to Jesus. 

I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t know Jesus. I was just living my life and Jesus was someone who existed but wasn’t a key figure in my life. In that life, there were things I was hiding. My hurt, my pain, my shame, my failings. I was trying to prove my value – in my marriage, in my job, as a mom. I felt I had everything to lose and was actually losing it. My marriage, my job, my future plans, the life I’d known and loved. Then Jesus came on the scene. He came into my heart, into my life, and I’ll never be the same. 

When you experience the love of Jesus, when you invite him in, you will experience freedom. You will experience healing. You will experience peace that defies circumstance. Jesus really does flip all the things of this world on its head. Brokenness is made whole. Shame and regret are now forgiven and free. With Jesus, there is nothing to lose. Well, except those things you never wanted to hold onto anyway. 

What is it that you’re carrying? What pain, wound, worry is weighing you down? Would you be willing to invite Jesus in to take it from you? Will you pray with me, right now, and invite him in? A prayer we can pray together:

Jesus, I want to know you. I want to experience the healing, freedom and peace you make possible. Will you take _____ (tell him what it is you want him to take) from me and come into my life? Help me to know you, experience you, walk with you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

I encourage you to spend time with Jesus. In getting to know him and spending time with him, you will experience the fullness of him and a life with him. I promise it’s so much better than Netflix! For practical, simple ways to do this, I encourage you to click here.

Blessing you with healing, joy, peace and freedom in Jesus.