Our Stories
Break Free
By Kim Hjelm | posted 09/24/2009
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters." (Galatians 5:13)
She kept trying
Over and over again
To get out
To get to the world she could see
Something was in her way
She knew that is where she was supposed to be
Deep within her, a longing so strong
She kept trying
Over and over again
All the doors had been left open to let the last gasp of summer into our house in preparation for the brisk winds of Autumn that would soon arrive. I saw her enter. She danced through the back door, stunningly beautiful and unrestrained within her freedom. She was drawn to the other side of the room, where, through a window she could see her destination...the world...outside.
She was stunned when she first encountered the window. Some invisible barrier was preventing her from continuing on her journey. She knew she was not where she was supposed to be. In her soul she knew there was more....if she could just break free...break through.
She kept trying
Over and over again
To get out
To get to the world she could see
Something was in her way
She knew that is where she was supposed to be
Deep within her, a longing so strong
She kept trying
Over and over again
I gently surrounded her with both hands, taking great care, knowing how fragile she was. She relaxed within my grasp as if she knew I was her savior. I walked quickly outside, raising my arms and opening my hands, I released her. She flew away with great joy because she knew that is where she was supposed to be.
We know deep within our being that we were made for a relationship with our Creator. We also know that we were created with a desire, a longing to "act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [our] God" (Micah 6:8). Much like the beautiful, but fragile butterfly, we know where we are supposed to be. We can see it. But there is an invisible barrier preventing us from continuing our journey. In our soul we know there is more....if we can just break free...break through.
Much like the butterfly, we keep trying and we keep bumping into that barrier, over and over again. It is not until we give up trying, and allow God to reach down and lift us up do we realize, He is our Savior. His desire is to release us, to free us to continue on the journey He has planned just for us...to walk humbly with Him.
I am reminded of the parable of the Prodigal Son...once the son realized he could not make it on his own, he turned toward home. His father, seeing him in the distance is filled with joy and unceremoniously runs out to greet him. This is how God reacts when we stop trying to get ourselves out the closed window and turn toward Him...toward Home.
What is the invisible barrier in your life that is preventing you from a life of freedom and joy? What do you need to turn from so that God can reach down and lift you up...so that he can release you to the life you were created to live?
Kim can be reached via email.
