Three days off and time to celebrate! While getting ready for the fun holiday weekend, I unexpectedly fell to my knees as an excruciating pain shot through my right side. Struggling to stand up, I massaged my side, searching for the physical cause of the intense pain.
I found it. A quarter-sized lump in my right breast. My mind whirled out of control. “No, this is not possible! My mammogram just a few months ago was perfectly normal. Maybe it’s just a cyst.”
My attempts to pray for comfort and peace felt empty. Why would God listen to me, anyway? I lived only for myself and what I wanted since leaving home for college many years ago. Despite my religious upbringing, it had been a long time since I thought about God. I presumed He abandoned me.
The Words You Never Want to Hear
The doctor uttered the words you never want to hear, “you have cancer.” I launched into a world of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, hair loss, and fatigue. Treatments and their side effects consumed my schedule and my life.
Despite many tests and scans, the doctors never discovered the cause of the pain. Thankfully, early detection gave me an excellent prognosis.
During a chemotherapy treatment, a conviction materialized like a blinding flash of light. God caused the pain in my side so I would discover the lump in my breast! The spread of cancer to my lymph nodes and the rest of my body might have caused advanced disease or even death if I had not discovered the lump.
True Freedom in Christ
I wondered, “why did God send the pain in my side to get my attention since I was not paying any attention to Him? Why me and why now?” So I ventured to church to find out and thank Him for saving me from possible bad outcomes from cancer.
When I walked into the church, I felt like an outsider. Did I belong here? But as soon as the music started, a feeling of peace settled over me. I knew I was home.
I wish I could say I was “all in” for Jesus immediately. It took a while to abandon my old life and begin a new one because I did not understand how I could be truly free in Christ.
As I continued my faith journey, I realized Satan disguises sin as freedom. I was in chains, enslaved by my sin, guilt, and shame. Also, I recognized God never abandoned me, even though I abandoned Him. He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to pay the price for our sin and be the ultimate sacrifice.
Jesus offers true freedom to you, too. Freedom from death. Freedom from the slavery of sin. Freedom from guilt and shame. We are truly free in Christ.
As John wrote in his Gospel, “Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’” (John 8:34-36 NIV).
Accept the Gift
Are you seeking something more? More peace? Joy? Love? Know God loves you with a crazy and everlasting love, even if you think He will never love or forgive you. He created you to love you! Because God is love. Scripture states, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:16 NIV).
God already forgave you, and He yearns to have a relationship with you. Jesus offers true freedom to all who accept the gift of salvation.
Click here to find out what it means to follow Christ. If you want to be free in Christ, pray this prayer or a similar one to Him now.
Dear God, I realize I am living my life the way I want, instead of what you require. I know you love me more than anyone else ever will. I believe You are my God and sent Your Son Jesus to die for the forgiveness of my sins. Enter my life now and I will serve you instead of myself always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
