“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” -Galatians 5:13
Today, we are looking at freedom in relationships. We all have many different relationships, and each one is unique. Some relationships are easy and natural and others are difficult and challenging. But God’s Word tells us that we can have freedom in every relationship to lovingly serve one another.
Relationships can be very complicated, and certainly there are times when we need to create boundaries that allow safety and security for each person. However, God’s Word tells us that we were called to freedom, including in our relationships with others! This does not mean freedom to say and do whatever we please in our relationships, but freedom to love and forgive as we ourselves have been loved and forgiven!
When Jesus sent His disciples to do ministry in Matthew 10, He told them that as they had received freely from God, they were now to freely give unto others. When we experience the deep, profound, undeserved love we have been given by God, we are able to give this same type of love freely to others whether we feel they deserve it or not. And the true miracle is that it is not based on our own desire or ability to do it—God’s Spirit within us fills our hearts with HIS love and HIS power to freely love all people.
Today, let’s ask God to help us walk in freedom in our relationships to let go of the things that keep us from freely loving and serving as Jesus did. And let’s remember to rely on HIS strength to do it!
Today’s Prayer:
God, I know I need your help to love and serve the people in my life. Please help me to remember the love and mercy you’ve shown me and to show this same love to others. Thank you for the freedom I have to let go and just love people the way you love them. I know I need the power of your Spirit to walk in freedom in my relationships, so fill me fresh with your Spirit today. Show me the relationships in my life where I need to surrender to you and receive the freedom you’ve promised. In Jesus’s name, amen.