July is a great time to take a step back and reflect on some things. As stated in a previous blog post, July in the U.S. is known for Independence Day (July 4th). The Founding Fathers sought to establish a more just and free society, one that was of, by, and for the people. They realized that Britain didn’t always represent them well or fairly. Although the Founding Fathers created the Declaration of Independence for the new nation to follow, not all people had the freedom that they described in this document. Similarly, as individuals, many of us aren’t living with true freedom. There can be things that are holding us back from truly being free. July reminds us of the subject of freedom, but what is true freedom? It’s time to understand who and what can give you true freedom.
For many of us, three things can prevent us from being our best selves. In the past, I encountered a person who had a fear of the outside world. True story. The person wouldn’t step foot outside of their home because of the fear. Can you imagine what this person missed out on by having this fear? Although this may seem like an extreme case of fear, could it be that fear is keeping us from a more satisfying life? F.E.A.R. often holds us back. You know, false evidence appearing real reminds us that what we imagine in our mind (at least most of the time) is different from reality.
There’s another situation I’m aware of involving two friends who frequently hung out together. One of this person’s friends has a decent life, complete with a husband, children, a lovely home, a great career, and a good reputation within her community. The other friend’s life looked different. It wasn’t a bad life in the least. Just different than her friend’s life. The second friend’s husband had a different struggle from the first friend’s struggle. You see, the second friend, after being around the first friend, would come home and change things to look like her friend’s house. If the first friend bought a new car, the second friend would likely persuade her husband to buy a car that resembled the first friend’s. When someone told me about this, it was hard to believe. Yeah, this is also a true story. It seemed extreme when I first heard the story, and it still seems extreme to me now. Wow! Can you imagine how her family felt? Comparing yourself to someone else can be very expensive. Many other factors come into play when you constantly compare yourself to others. When we do this, we may not be sharing our best selves with others.
The last thing that can hold us back is our past shame. Everyone that I know has something in their life that they’re ashamed of. Some people are not enjoying what I call the “basics” of life because they are constantly reminded of their past shame, or they are ashamed of something. Can you imagine having so much shame that you don’t go to places that you need to go to?
Declaring Spiritual Dependence
Now that we have identified three things (among many) that can hold us back, let’s talk about becoming free of these things. Because the core of who we were created to be depends on God. Tapping into His spiritual strength and guidance can help us overcome fear, comparison, and shame. We are encouraged to bring every concern and issue to God. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to present all of our anxieties to Him because He cares for us. Psalm 55:22 also says to cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. In other words, we need to go to Him about whatever fears we have. You may be surprised by the different, unique ways He helps you overcome the fears you have. It does take a made-up mind and courage to face the fears that you have. It also takes a open heart to change some things.
In Galatians 5, it says that we have been set free. We are set free from living a limited life. We are set free from constantly comparing ourselves to others. He wants us to embrace who He made us to be. I think that we often forget that, although we all share certain similarities, God loves our uniqueness and individuality. I just believe that if He made every snowflake different for Him to enjoy, then we should allow our differences to shine for His enjoyment. To achieve this, we must maintain a close relationship with Him. A life of prayer or daily conversation with Him is important.
Embrace your uniqueness and celebrate the gifts and talents that you have been given. Remember that you are created in the image of God for greatness. Allow yourself to shine brightly and share your light with the world. By walking in alignment with your true identity in Him, you will attract abundance, joy, and fulfillment in your life.
As you step into your freedom and embrace your true identity, remember that this journey isn’t always easy. There may be times when you feel tempted to fall back into old patterns or give in to fear. Remember that you possess the strength and resilience to overcome any challenge. We gain this strength through prayer, relying on scripture, and meditating on the words from Galatians 5:1. We are here to remind you that God has given you the power within to overcome any obstacle. By declaring your spiritual dependence on God and standing firm in your faith, you can break free from whatever is holding you back. You can step into a purpose-filled life. We here at Gratefullytina have included a free resource that will help you move forward in your Declaration of Dependence on God. Please accept it here.