“It is for freedom that you have been set free.”Galations 5:1
When my heart starts to bristle towards some perceived slight or when a cause I feel strongly about comes up or when I’m feeling lonely and needy, my instinct is to say..to speak. Because I have a right to say what I feel and what I believe. I have the right to correct the wrong, to defend myself, to clarify everything.
But I’ve been set free…for freedom.
Freed from the need to defend myself and my views to everyone, all the time.
Freed from the urge to correct every bit of wrong theology or thought in another.
Freed from the requirement to take my reputation in my own hands…or mouth.
Freed from focusing on me…
Freed from the need to focus only on me…my needs, my platform, my image, my friendships, my problems, my intimacy.
And there were apologies that had to be made and gossiping that has had to stop and hard questions that have been asked and pondered. But in the end, I keep coming back to the fact that I am freed.
I am freed.
Freed from me…
Freed to love others first.
Freed to speak life and truth and freedom over those around.
Freed to listen more than I speak.
Freed to pour out because the freedom comes from Jesus and if I’m truly walking in that freedom then I’ll be spending time with Him…I’ll be filled up on Him.
Because if I’m full of Jesus, I don’t need to worry about filling up from anyone else.
And when we’re not filling up we’re called to be pouring out.
And if I’m filled up with life then how can I pour out, speak out, live out, give out anything but life?
There’s never any need for me to hold that life, that freedom in, because my source is endless. He never runs dry and so I never have to run dry either if I keep attached to the source. So I can pour out freely because I have been and am being and will continue to be given to freely.
I’ve been set free so that I can speak life…give life.
“It is for freedom that you have been set free.”
Galations 5:1
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These are just a few of the thoughts churning in my heart after last month’s Influence Network class with Jessi Connolly titled, Speaking Life.
I’m linking up with a few other ladies who attended this class to share what God has been teaching us.
Be blessed
<3
Hey Alesha, thanks so much for sharing this on the linkup! I love the imagery that comes from freely poring ourselves out, because Jesus is filling us up. Especially related to speaking my opinion (HUGE one for me!). I need to just…let go and trust God and know that my words aren’t always necessary..but when they are, they should be LIFE.
I totally agree. I bristle and want to argue so easily, but I know that is not usually what is best. Jessi’s class taught me this so much! Thanks for hosting the link up! I was really excited to participate!<3
Alesha, this post hits it right on the head! We are free from needing to defend ourselves, correct everyone and to be able to love and speak that love into others lives. Thanks so much for linking up! This post really gets to the heart of this issue!!!
I’m so glad it spoke to you! This is very much what God has been teaching me since that class. Thanks for stopping by. <3Alesha