Today is a day when people especially think of, give thanks for, and celebrate their independence. Here in the United States on this particular day, we celebrate the independence of our nation. We commemorate how we declared our independence from the British.
It is often said, and quite rightly, that we must remain vigilant to preserve our democracy and the freedom that comes with it. Some people especially crave power, and oppress others in order to keep it. When people abuse power by using it to mistreat others, we witness a misuse of freedom.
When we make choices which cause us to become enslaved to anything, we misuse our freedom. Unfortunately we can decide to use our freedom to become slaves to many things. We become slaves to possessions, to money, to power and to prestige. We can even become slaves to food and drink if we do not remain in right relation to it. If we become gluttons with food and drink, we have become slaves to our own desires for excessive amounts of food and drink. When we allow our desires to rule us, we have lost our freedom.
If we become addicts, we have become enslaved to our desires. If we have become addicted to drugs or gambling or sex or anything else, we are no longer free. As addicts, our desires rule us.
I am not only speaking about others. I am speaking about myself and about others. I am addicted to sugar. I do not lightly say that I am an addict. If I go too long without sugar, my perceptions become severely skewed. My outlook on life becomes dismal.
Such is the state of an addict. For one who is addicted, being deprived is being tortured.
Some would respond to such circumstances by demanding how God could let people devolve into such a state. They ask how and why God could let this happen to people.
God does not wish anyone to stray from him. Yet God gives us our free will. Sometimes people make decisions which harm themselves. Yet even in the midst of such debilitating situations in which there seems to be no hope, we can use our freedom for our own good. When we feel trapped, we can use our freedom to declare our independence from what enslaves us, by confidently proclaiming that we will steadfastly rely on God. If we utilize our freedom to proclaim our dependence on God, God will free us from being held in chains.
Thus in such situations of suffering, there is a profound opportunity, if we choose to open our hearts to it. When we are faced with challenges which we cannot overcome on our own, we are to pray to God to deliver us from evil.* If we tell God, with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, that on our own we cannot surmount the obstacles we encounter, then God will come to our aid. When we let go of our egos, then we make the room for God to work in our souls, then we welcome God into our hearts. Once we admit that we must have God's help, then we can begin to love Him with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength.**
When we pray in such a way, we pray with true humility. If you truly pray, you have humility. To the humble, God gives grace.*** With the help of God's grace, we can conquer what for us alone would be impossible. As Jesus reminded us, everything is possible for God.****
And so, with all credit for our success going to God, God truly is glorified. When we admit that all glory, praise and honor is due to God, then God delivers us from evil and brings us into true life. Amen.
* Matthew 6:13
** Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
*** 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6
**** Matthew 19:26; Luke 18:27
It is often said, and quite rightly, that we must remain vigilant to preserve our democracy and the freedom that comes with it. Some people especially crave power, and oppress others in order to keep it. When people abuse power by using it to mistreat others, we witness a misuse of freedom.
When we make choices which cause us to become enslaved to anything, we misuse our freedom. Unfortunately we can decide to use our freedom to become slaves to many things. We become slaves to possessions, to money, to power and to prestige. We can even become slaves to food and drink if we do not remain in right relation to it. If we become gluttons with food and drink, we have become slaves to our own desires for excessive amounts of food and drink. When we allow our desires to rule us, we have lost our freedom.
If we become addicts, we have become enslaved to our desires. If we have become addicted to drugs or gambling or sex or anything else, we are no longer free. As addicts, our desires rule us.
I am not only speaking about others. I am speaking about myself and about others. I am addicted to sugar. I do not lightly say that I am an addict. If I go too long without sugar, my perceptions become severely skewed. My outlook on life becomes dismal.
Such is the state of an addict. For one who is addicted, being deprived is being tortured.
Some would respond to such circumstances by demanding how God could let people devolve into such a state. They ask how and why God could let this happen to people.
God does not wish anyone to stray from him. Yet God gives us our free will. Sometimes people make decisions which harm themselves. Yet even in the midst of such debilitating situations in which there seems to be no hope, we can use our freedom for our own good. When we feel trapped, we can use our freedom to declare our independence from what enslaves us, by confidently proclaiming that we will steadfastly rely on God. If we utilize our freedom to proclaim our dependence on God, God will free us from being held in chains.
Thus in such situations of suffering, there is a profound opportunity, if we choose to open our hearts to it. When we are faced with challenges which we cannot overcome on our own, we are to pray to God to deliver us from evil.* If we tell God, with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, that on our own we cannot surmount the obstacles we encounter, then God will come to our aid. When we let go of our egos, then we make the room for God to work in our souls, then we welcome God into our hearts. Once we admit that we must have God's help, then we can begin to love Him with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength.**
When we pray in such a way, we pray with true humility. If you truly pray, you have humility. To the humble, God gives grace.*** With the help of God's grace, we can conquer what for us alone would be impossible. As Jesus reminded us, everything is possible for God.****
And so, with all credit for our success going to God, God truly is glorified. When we admit that all glory, praise and honor is due to God, then God delivers us from evil and brings us into true life. Amen.
* Matthew 6:13
** Deuteronomy 6:5; Deuteronomy 10:12; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
*** 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:6
**** Matthew 19:26; Luke 18:27
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