Set Free

   It is very cloudy and rainy outside today. At first I was not super excited about walking around campus in the rain, especially with having an early morning class. However, I suppose rain is refreshing and a simple rainy afternoon can be nice once in a while so I am making the best of it. My nana came to visit me yesterday afternoon. She took me out to lunch and we went shopping for a bit too. I am so blessed to have her in my life and to have the relationship with her that I do. She is so wise and has so much insight to give. I know God put her in my life for a reason. I was very much encouraged by our conversation and am beyond blessed to call this wonderful lady my nana.
   This past week has been very eye-opening to me. God works all things together for our good. He has a perfect plan. This truth has been sinking deeper into my heart this week. God can heal and restore all things. I have often struggled with doubt; doubt that certain situations or relationships could not be healed. This doubt has caused me to put up a barrier between God and me. Over these past couple of weeks, God has exposed to me this doubt that I have been holding onto. He has revealed this to me and is reassuring me that I have no need to doubt Him. He knows all things and works all things together for my good. 
   Often times we feel tied down by our burdens and our circumstances. We feel weighed down by our sin and the sin of this world. We have trouble trusting in God's truth because of all the lies we are surrounded with each day. We doubt God's power in our lives and instead become frustrated or confused. We get so caught up in focusing on the difficulties of our lives that we lose sight of our Savior and what He has done to redeem us. We slip into following the ways of this world and becoming doubtful and fearful of the future. 

   Every morning when I go on my run, I follow a path that goes through a nearby park. There is a playground with swings and every morning when I get to that point, I stop and swing. When I was younger and living at home, I would often go out in our back yard and swing when I needed to clear my mind and get away to be alone with God. I find that I still do this same thing today. During this time every morning when I am swinging, I pray to God. I surrender my troubles and the day that lies before me in His hands. When I came across this picture, it was a perfect representation to me of this precious time I spend with Him.

   We are all set free in Christ. He asks us to surrender all our worries, pain, and anxiety to Him. We have no reason to be in bondage to our past sin and regret. God has forgiven us and when we surrender our lives to Him, we are free. He will give us the strength and courage we need to stand up for this. Through His grace and redemption, we are set free and given purpose.