“Let me set you free.” Those are the words I used when I began to answer a student who recently told me that he felt like he wasn’t doing enough for God.
And almost every day since then, I’ve repeated those words back to myself. Every time I feel inadequate, every time I compare myself to someone else, every time I wonder why God even bothers with a loser like me.
If you are like that and struggle the way I struggle, let me set you free.
I often feel like a loser when I compare myself to other people. I look at coworkers who work harder than I do, work much longer hours, and get so much more, I feel inadequate. When I look at friends that can ski better than me, bike faster than me, care better than me; I feel inadequate. When I see other leaders leading better than I can lead, I feel so inadequate. When I read what others write and they capture my imagination in a way I never could, I feel so inadequate.
When I fall into the same stupid sin, over and over and over again, and I wonder at what point does God just give up. When I go through hard times or I see people I care about go through them. When I’m ready to quit and give up.
If you’ve ever felt the way I so often feel, let me set you free.
“It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you free.” Paul writes. But more than that: “STAND FIRM, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
That feeling that you must constantly improve yourself? So you work harder and harder, working your fingers to the bone to improve and do things better? That’s a yoke of slavery. Throw it off. Christ has set you free.
That feeling that God will never accept you? Remind yourself that he already has. Throw off that yoke of slavery.
You are free.
Free from sin.
Free from shame.
Free to approach the throne of God with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16)
God will help you. He will uphold you with his righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
What should you do when you find yourself burdened by a yoke of slavery? Stop. Immediately go into Jesus’ presence. Freedom is found nowhere else. You’ll only find freedom when you bring to God whatever is enslaving you. Because when you bring it to him, he is faithful and he will tell you: “Let me set you free.”