Free to Love

BY KATHY GUST

First, spend some time in prayerful reflection using the following questions.

1. What does my relationship with God look like these days?

2. How do I feel about where I’m at with God?

3. Where have I been noticing God’s presence or movement in my life?

4. What is God’s invitation to me?

5. How would I like to respond to that invitation?

Once you have a sense of God’s invitation or action in your life, ask yourself and ask God:

What might Jesus be setting me free from?

What might Jesus be setting me free for?

WHAT IS THE HOPE and purpose of the Christian life on this earth? Quite simply, it is love. Love for God, love for others, love for ourselves. Compassionate, patient, hopeful, forgiving, abiding, love.

Jesus came to set us free so we can live lives of love. Freedom is required for love to bloom fully. This freedom expands and grows over time as we follow Jesus and become more aware and attentive to the reality of God with us in our everyday lives.

Understanding that inner freedom is necessary for the Christian life is crucial because, too often, we’re inundated with shoulds without enough emphasis on how do we get there. It goes something like this: “As a Christian, you should be generous, you should be forgiving, you should evangelize, you should give, you should use your spiritual gifts, you should hear God’s voice, you should be hospitable, you should share God’s love and light in the world.”

To be clear, these postures and actions absolutely blossom in the life of someone who is in love with God and following Jesus. However we forget that this kind of life – of being generous, forgiving, using our gifts, and following God – happens over time and as a result of our relationship with God. We do not have to figure out any of it on our own. While all people have a natural capacity to love (we are, after all, made in God’s image), receiving the fullness of love in the deepest parts of our very selves and then offering that love in the world, requires God’s guidance and help.

So, how do we come into a more profound experience of freedom in our lives so we can share more of God’s love and generosity in the world?

I’ve found that looking at God’s actions through the lens of inner freedom often adds an extra layer of insight, understanding and anticipation (the relief of being set free brings me a lot of joy). It also gives me courage to continue to say yes to this journey toward a deeper relationship with God (because let’s face it, the journey can sometimes be extremely challenging!)

Second, notice areas of unfreedom. To find them, we may look for situations and instances when our love most definitely isn’t blooming –when our generosity of heart could use some improvement; when we’re harbouring things like jealousy, bitterness, pride, or greed. When we become aware of these areas of unfreedom, we bring them to God and ask for help. We then begin to explore the sources of these unfreedoms, discovering what pain or circumstance lie at their roots, and accessing any help we need (through therapy, prayer, talking to a friend, learning, etc.)

Jesus offers us freedom. Sometimes, this freedom is birthed in our lives suddenly. However, it’s often a process that happens slowly and expands over time as we engage in a relationship with God. We hasten our freedom by becoming more aware and attentive to God’s presence in our lives and by being willing to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

How has God been moving in your life lately? What is God’s invitation to you? What is God setting you free from? How might that freedom increase your ability to receive or give love in the world?

Kathy is a spiritual director living in Burlington, Ontario. She believes that the Christian life leads to more love, joy, peace, patience, hope, and kindness in the world and is passionate to see people engaged and growing towards a closer walk with Jesus. For more about Kathy, visit her website at kathygust.com