Freedom is not free.

We are thankful to be a part of a ministry, Shield Bearer, that serves, among other trauma victims, veterans and their families. In our work we hear how the experience of war impacts the daily lives of those who’ve served in freedom’s cause. Many of the families we serve are still paying freedom’s price as they move on through life without their spouse, parent, child or sibling.

As we enjoy another celebration of Independence Day with family and friends, we honor those who have paid the price for the freedom enjoyed in this nation. Veterans and their families are held in high regard in our hearts.   Thank you!

Within this great free country, most of us are living without personal freedom. Although some segments of our society live in modern day slavery and oppression, most of us fail to live in personal freedom from forces within us.

We want to connect well with our spouses and children, achieve success in our workplace, lead well in our churches, and live out Biblical principles. But something inside of us keeps us from doing it. And personal freedom is elusive and absent.

When we really go for it, our internal dialogue tells us some version of these lies about selves:

You’re not good enough.

You don’t have what it takes.

You’re broken, defective.

You don’t matter.

You’re not valued or worthy.

You love wrong.

You are bad, evil.

You’re a coward, wimp.

And over and over again, we act on them. We believe them and feel them. They end up driving us to do the things we don’t want to do, or keep us from doing the things we most want to do.   It may very well be the thing Paul was speaking of in Romans 7.

Personal freedom has a price. Freedom to truly live out who I am as a person is costly. Freedom to move into the actions that create the relationships that I deeply want is expensive.

Jesus said, “… truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Truth is essential to uncovering freedom and grace. It is being true with God, yourself and others that makes living free possible. To build the relationships that we want at the core of our souls, we must first pay the price for freedom.

Becoming aware of the internal dialogue and facing truth about the things that I hide, repress and deny is painful. Owning the dark places in my heart hurts. Discovering things about myself that God, our spouses and others have known for years is distressing.

Owning our stuff requires us to give up egos and posing. It requires us to take off the mask that everything is OK. In order to have the personal freedom to truly be me, we must face our relationships, workplace and church with honesty and truth.   And it might very well have costly consequences.

Jesus paid the price for our salvation. It is there for the taking, if we are willing to pay the price of facing truth. Those who have experienced the misery of truth have found it uncovers something so incredibly powerful for them: the scandalous grace of our savior, Jesus.

We love to be apart of helping people pay the price of facing truth. It is how they uncover God’s grace in a way that they never have before. There they find personal freedom to live in the passion, power and purpose that God always intended for them. And it is their knowing without a doubt that they are saved and loved by God that they are able to now bring truth and grace to their spouse and children.

We are thankful for those who sacrificed for the freedoms that we enjoy in this country.

We love to hear from readers.  What have you found helpful to gaining personal freedom?  How are personal freedom and selfishness often confused?

This article was written by Roy and Devra Wooten, authors of “The Secret to a Lifetime Love”. Learn more at www.LifeTogetherForever.com © Roy and Devra Wooten 2015. All Rights Reserved. You may replicate this article as long as it is provided free to recipients and includes appropriate attribution. Written permission for other use may be obtained at [email protected].