Love gives access to Freedom

I remember what it was like being young, being a kid —that literally only had the responsibility of doing what their parents or trusted adults said. Sometimes I didn’t like the direction/instruction they gave but most often I responded and did what was asked of me. Flash forward to being an adult, I’m sitting here thinking how I miss the simple just following people’s direction that I trusted. I miss the ability to wander off into my creative place where anything and everything was possible for hours of the day. I miss that being loved by my family gave affirmation and access to so many possibilities and gave courage to my little heart.

What changed though?

What started making me afraid of things?

At what point was joy a difficult thing to find in my life?

It makes me wonder that at a certain age when my understanding of sin finally connected to my brain. Like when I got to a certain age (probably in middle school) when choices had painful consequences and I realized I didn’t want to experience somethings anymore —so I had to decide to make a change for myself. I had to start making disciplines and choices and see what the results were in the end.

And as an adult I’m still loved by my friends and family but somehow the affirmation and courage is much smaller and doesn’t seem to give the freedom I’ve hoped for.

Makes me think how loving someone actually gives access to a lot of things internally for a person. And it’s not just in the knowing they are loved, but in the seeing they are loved too.

^Maybe love gives access to freedom.

Reminds me of the way John wrote about his relationship with Jesus. The way he labels himself “The one whom Jesus loved.” (John 13:23, 19:26, 20:2,21:7, 21:20) I wonder if John needed that affirmation. It’s also interesting how even other disciples recognized the label.

I know I need that affirmation all the time, that I am loved my Jesus. No matter what I do, no matter what sin temps me into, no matter what circumstance I will face —that I am loved by the Creator of the Universe and nothing can change that.

*I wonder what life would be like if we wore that on our name tags. “Loved by the Creator”. What if we started the day with that reality, I reckon that is the freedom we are seeking and a real gift in this life.