Daily Devotional: The Freedom of Obedience

​

​Christ promises to carry our burdens and free us from all bondage. How does this apply to our plans?

II Corinthians 3:17

“[W]here the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

Have you ever been frustrated that events did not go according to plan? Do you cringe when you think you have everything in order only to watch the situation unravel? A wonderful consequence for obeying the Holy Spirit is we are freed from such frustration.
​
Jesus only wants to give us His best. He wants us to live a life full of joy and contentment. He wants to bear our burdens for us. Have you ever considered surrendering every decision to Christ liberating?

Whenever we try to plan without consulting Christ, life always upsets our plan. So, why bother? Christ is the only one who knows what will happen in the future. Only He can direct us away from unseen dangers and future pitfalls. Why not give Him the task we find so overwhelming, the task of planning our days, weeks, and years?

We are to come to Christ as little children. Does a little child fret over planning his life? Try telling a four year old that he has to study hard so he can receive a college degree. The child has no comprehension of your words, and no desire to think of life beyond a few minutes.

Can we, as adults, adopt this worry-free attitude? Of course! Jesus is right here, holding all knowledge of the future, willing to tell us exactly what to and not to do. He wants to free us of the burden of fearing our future. He wants to liberate us from the arduous task of trying to make sense of life. If you need a plan, He will reveal it to you. If there is a five-year goal towards which you need to strive, Jesus will put it before you. If there is a task you need to do right now, He will tell you.

Planning should never be what I want; it should always be recording what Jesus wants. Ask Him how He wants your day to go, and you may be surprised at the answer. Ask Him about your upcoming months and years, and the answers become really interesting. He may lead you towards goals you would never have considered, and He may also be silent, stating that you do not need to know right now.

It’s okay to not know what you will be doing in a few years, or even in five minutes, because Jesus knows everything. If you free yourself of the desire to understand all the whys and hows of life, you can enjoy obedience to Christ. You can take life one day at a time, allowing God to show you each step along the way, allowing Him to set your short-term and long-term goals. Let Him lead you, and you will never have to worry about your future again.

• Reflection: Do you allow Christ to free you of your burdens, or do you pick them back up? Leave a comment below to share how God is transforming your life.