It was for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
A Journey to Grace is not about simply talking about the wounds of our heart. It’s not about learning to just live with those wounds, enduring the pain and just trying to get by. A Journey to Grace is about the healing of those wounds and learning to live free of the pain, condemnation, and shame. It’s about living in freedom.
When a person is released from prison there is often a difficult transition. Those who make the transition do so because the experience of prison has convinced them that they do not want to return there and they are willing to make the changes in their life that are necessary to keep them from going back. Often this means changing relationships, changing professions, changing habits, attitudes and reactions. Without a willingness to make the necessary changes this person will eventually end up involved in the same behaviors and activities that led to their imprisonment.
This freedom is very similar for the participants of A Journey to Grace. There are many things in our old life, our old ways and patterns of behavior that must be changed or we risk putting on that yoke of slavery once again. For many on the Journey their old lives have been consumed by fear, shame, hatred, unforgiveness. Being consumed with these things led to patterns of distrust in relationships especially with God, denial, anger, self hatred, aggression and self preservation at all cost becomes their motto. These are some of the elements of the yoke that has enslaved them for so long.
Yet, on the Journey, in learning to stand firm, they learn to resist the ways of their old life, to turn from the old habits of dealing with their wounds and stand, walk, live and breathe in the new life of hope, joy and freedom. Learning to live a life that bears witness to the power of redemption and healing is learning to live a life that bears the fruit of the Spirit …love, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23)
One participant made the comparison between her old life and her new life in this way:
The new life is like a bowl of fresh fruit – bright, healthy, sweet, good, appealing
The old life is like that same bowl but it is filled with dull, cold, hard, cheap plastic fruit
She also shared these thoughts regarding her Journey to Grace and healing from the wounds of sexual abuse:
“I am a living memorial for that little girl, a memorial of hope and freedom that is possible. Everyday that I choose to love and believe and obey and follow Christ and walk out in this freedom with Him is a memorial to hope, the love of Jesus and the power of His grace and redemption.”
On the Journey, Jesus led her not only out of her prison but also away from her old life. On the Journey she learned to stand firm in Christ and in the truth and power of His Word. That is the life for which He set her free. That is also the life for which He wants to set you free!
