Freedom in your life

In our lives we are able to determine the path we follow, and change it as we determine. We are given that freedom by God. Even in countries where there is no government-sponsored freedom, there is freedom to defy that government. In the USA we are free in many ways that the rest of the world has never experienced. We are in a unique position to chart the course for our life. I've chosen the career path I'm in intentionally. I enjoy selling and there is a great income opportunity for me in selling in general that is not available to me through other careers. That's because I also chose not to complete college intentionally. I decided that because of the return on the investment of time and money, just didn't make sense to me, for me but not for everyone. I've also chosen to be a Christian. That means pledging my allegiance to Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God. I choose daily to follow Him where He leads me by His Spirit in me and by His Word written, the Bible. If there is a conflict between following bosses at work and following Jesus, I always choose to follow Jesus. It's not always easy, but it's worth it. I've made that choice before to the point of leaving a job. But it's worth it. But as long as there is no conflict between the two, I serve and submit to my bosses and do their will as my superiors, even when it goes against my preferences. This isn't either but it's worth it. Sometimes I've left work because of this as well. When there's a conflict between following Jesus or pleasing my family or friends, I've got to choose following Jesus. It's the only way to life. That said, we have freedom in Jesus. He does not ask for robots to do his bidding monotonously and autonomously. He gives us His life, clearly reveals His will, and gives us the freedom in our lives to obey. All He asks is based on this: God is One, Love Him with all your heart, strength, soul, and mind; love others as you love yourself. And He also shows us this that no one has greater love than someone willing to lay even his very life down for another. So do that. With all the creativity and freedom you can muster up, do this. Choose how to make money based on your love for God and love for others. Choose who to marry based on this. Choose who to spend your time with. Choose how to care for people when they need you, choose all things based on this. You don't have to make the same choices as any one else, you don't have to be a doctor, and you don't have to be a janitor. You don't have to marry the person someone thinks is right for you if you don't agree. You don't have to choose the career set out for you by your peers, parents, bosses, or others if you don't choose to. But be sure that in all the liberty that you creatively exercise within, be sure that you do it for God's glory and not for your own selfish gain. Selfish decision making is not love. If you do it for money that's not loving God and others, or putting others before yourself. If you do it for your own joy, that's not love for God and love for others. You will get the most joy when you set yours aside and go for loving God and loving others. When you focus on getting the most joy for yourself and that's how you choose, then you are using your freedom in Christ Jesus for evil, wickedness, greedy gain, and selfish ambition. When you set your own joy aside and use your freedom in Christ Jesus for loving God and loving others, then you will experience joy that goes beyond the happiness this world can offer. So go be free. Expirment in your exercise of freedom of loving God and loving others. Do it the way God wants and designed it to be, and wait to see the joy you have from God in doing it. DISCLAIMER: there are specific sins that are identified by God as sinful and these should be avoided because to choose to do a sinful thing identified by God as sin specifically in His Word is 100% always done out of selfishness, not out of love. Even some say that some sins are done out of love - "white" lies, taking from someone who has much to give to someone who has little (aka stealing), being pleasant to someone instead of rebuking and correcting their sin just because you think it's better to be nice than to be honest (though this must be done in love of course), and being in a gay relationship because it's just "love" (this certainly comes about because two people love each other, but their desire to be together in a gay relationship is based on self-centered desire for pleasure rather than pure love for God and others). These are just some examples. We are all guilty before God for sin, both coursing through our veins in our being, and in the specific acts of sin we do. But the God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins, and save us from them, and anyone who believes that He is Lord, and that He rose from the dead will be saved. And by faith the Spirit of God will transform you into the likeness of Christ, full of love and free from the power of sin. You will overcome your sin, it will not overcome you any longer when you have faith in Jesus.