Focusing the Freedom

Imagine if we bought a pair of sunglasses where the reflective surface was on the inside. We would quickly become frustrated with only being able to see ourselves. Yet strangely, this is often how we live our lives. Our thoughts are focused on how I might get ahead, how frustrated I am, how bored I am, how excited I am, how tired I am, how disappointed I am and so on. Sometimes our thinking can be so intense around the ‘I’, we are genuinely blind to what is around us. We miss the opportunity to live our lives richly in connection to others.

God frees us from concerns about ourselves. His unconditional love, grace and promise to be with us, frees us to let go of ourselves, to be fully and richly engaged in the world. He encourages us to use our freedom in service to people in need instead of ourselves. Often when we are feeling low it is because we are focused firmly on ourselves. By switching our glasses from the ‘I’ and acting on the needs of those around us, we become more fully alive. In times of boredom, conflict or frustration it can be helpful to change the viewpoint to that of the other and consider how you might feel in that person’s position and even consider the ways you can help them. Often the anxiety will flow away. When we are centred on God’s love for all people we move from dark to light.