Are We Chasing The Wrong Freedom?
Freedom is a word that gets…
Tossed around a lot. Especially in an American context. Freedom is the anthem we sing, the banner we wave, and the prize we guard at all costs. But as I listen to the popular narratives surrounding this topic, it seems there’s a confusion about the word freedom with something else: opportunity.
To be clear: opportunity is a good thing. I’m all for it. And I’m all for governments doing the one thing they were designed for: protecting it. But opportunity—the ability to have and pursue your own beliefs, values, and goals within the framework of the law—isn’t the same thing as freedom.
I say that because freedom, according to the Maker and Sustainer of "all things," isn’t about independence (Colossians 1:15-17). It doesn’t come from having more choices or fewer restrictions. Real freedom lives in dependence—on who Jesus is and has always been for us.
Independence vs. Dependence
According to Galatians 5:1: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The “freedom” Paul speaks of is past tense—something we already have. And the reference to “slavery” here is what happens to us when we pursue an idea of freedom contrary to how Jesus defined it.
In short, the sin of independence that runs in our veins is not something we can exercise our way out of, but we can die to it. The independence associated with freedom may promise reilef, but it only delivers exhaustion. It sounds like freedom, but it’s dependent on having a control we weren’t built for.
In contrast, the freedom Paul speaks of in Jesus means you don’t have to prove yourself, because He already has. You don’t have to chase significance, because He gives it to you. And you don’t have to bear the weight of your own salvation, because He’s carried it all (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Opportunity Isn’t Enough
The problem with mistaking opportunity for freedom is that it leaves us perpetually striving. When freedom is tied to what we do or can achieve, it becomes conditional. We’re only “free” as long as we’re successful.
But what happens when the opportunities dry up, or were never present in the first place, as is true for billions of people around the world? What happens when we fail? That’s not freedom. That’s fear dressed up as freedom.
So rejoice, my friends! Jesus doesn’t offer freedom to go your own way; He offers freedom to recline in Him—who is "the way" (John 14:6).
This kind of freedom is hard to grasp in a culture that seeks self-reliance. But it’s the only kind of freedom that truly satisfies and exists independently of our circumstances. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Just as you are.
The question is: Are you tired of chasing a freedom that’s always just out the first three truths in our video series: A Timeless Path To Living Free. Don’t have a free account yet? Use the link below.
Cheers!