Adaptability/Mutual Submission

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

This verse is really convicting for me. So often I think on the fact that I have freedom. I used to think that my freedom was a right. I never remember that it was Christ who gave it to me and that He desires for me to trade out my worldly freedom and receive freedom in Him. God gave me freedom and I’m expected to use this freedom to glorify the Lord and serve others through love. What a challenge this is! Frequently I use the freedom I’ve been given for my selfish fleshly desires and I don’t think on what God wants me to do and how I can use the gifts I’ve been given to serve others. This isn’t right. I’ve been given freedom of thought, time, and will; I use this gift from God not to bring glory to Him and His name but to serve myself. God has really been challenging me over these past couple years, but especially these past couple weeks, to use my free time to serve Him and to glorify Him in my actions and in my thoughts. To be obedient to His will and the authority He’s placed in my life and to really seek after God. To just spend time with Him in His presence and to have my actions and heart be one of service.  Because I can do things that on the outside, seem good and edifying, but internally my heart isn’t in it. It’s really been a battle these past few weeks with my flesh to take every thought captive and make sure it’s obedient to God.  But I can find peace in His presence and when I start to feel ungrateful or rebellious and cast those thoughts out of my head and simply bask in His presence and magnificence.

Application: Even though I’m spending Kid’s Club serving food and washing dishes, instead of playing with the kids. I will remind myself when I begin to get frustrated to rejoice and pray for a heart of joy in this service.