From Gloria Furman at Domestic Kingdom:
I was reading Galatians and felt a great wave of refreshment wash over my soul as I thought about how Christ’s fulfillment of God’s perfect law meansfreedom.
Jesus frees us from so much and He frees us to so much.
I pray you’ll be encouraged as you read over this short list of ways the gospel frees women…
1 – The gospel frees us from laying the burden of our happiness on our husband or children. As we are stunned by the mercy of Jesus who willingly bore a cross for our sins, our souls are released to find our joy foremost in God.
2 – The gospel frees us from hurling hostile criticism over personal preferences like homeschooling, epidurals and the Tooth Fairy. As we are united with one another through Jesus’ death and resurrection, grace frees us to affirm and appreciate women who hold different views.
3 – The gospel frees us from feeling the shame of scrutiny from other women. As we begin to understand that the cross demonstrates the magnitude of God’s love for sinners, we discover our Father’s approval of us in Christ is worth far more to us than the opinions of others.
4 – The gospel frees us from the futility of finding new things to brag about. As we see that every good thing is an undeserved gift from our gracious God, we delight in humility and boast only in Jesus’ death and resurrection which purchased for us the ultimate gift of fellowship with our Father.
5 – The gospel frees us from our exhausting preoccupation with style and beauty. As we become more conscious of the eternal promises of God which are guaranteed in Christ, the less captivated we are by fleeting things.
6 – The gospel frees us from the chains of anxiety over our past, present and future– which includes even trivial things like Christmas shopping. As we consider God’s unstoppable, sovereign, redeeming grace in Christ, our hearts are bolstered with hope and courage regardless of our circumstances.
These are just a few of the ways we have freedom in Christ!
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
I love this list! I know I have struggled with all of those six things that enslave us (particularly as women). I need the reminder of what the gospel has freed me from and who I am in Christ.
This is a great reminder. As the holidays are approaching, I’ve been reminding myself that I don’t need to stress out about all the little things. I keep claiming my freedom in Christ and remembering that that relationship is the most important to me.