Freedom.

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hillfor the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Maya Angelou

Freedom. That is one of the main things that we as humans long for desperately. One is love—to be accepted as who we are and loved for being that. Another is beauty—beauty is God-given and no words can describe how much our souls long and hope and live for beauty. We find hope and joy in what is beautiful, and we can praise God for the beauty that He places in our lives— each loving and and seeing beauty in a different way.

But one of the things that we strive for, agonize after, is freedom.

As humans, we crave freedom. We want it so bad that we go to lengths to obtain it. We don’t want to be weighed down by anything—we don’t want any burdens on our backs. Our goal is to go running in that field, flying over those grasses and being weightless—lifted up by the pure joy of our liberty.

But so often, we don’t know how to obtain that freedom. Mainly, the freedom of our mind.

The mind is a tricky thing. You have to learn to master your own mind and your own thoughts—something that you’ll have to work on your whole life.

One of the most important things that I’ve learned is that you are not your emotions. When you’re mad, you as a person are not mad. You are simply experiencing an emotion of anger. When you can learn to control these emotions, you’ll learn to have control over yourself, and then you’ll find freedom. Freedom in not being controlled by your emotions or feelings.

In Hebrews, it talks about this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Let us throw off everything that hinders us—let us rid ourselves of that is sin. We need to cleanse our spirits and our minds with what is pure and God-given. To lay aside every weight—the burdens of sin, and all that is unclean—that clings to us and drags us down. That clogs us in our walk with Christ so that we’re stuck and passive.

My favorite verse, and one that is very meaningful to me, Romans 12:2, says a lot about that.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The renewing of your minds…that’s ridding yourself of all that junk. That’s taking a moment and taking control over your emotions and thoughts. That’s letting go of all that bogs you down and clogs you up.

And after that, you can experience freedom.

Freedom in self-control. Freedom from the world and sin.

Freedom in Christ Jesus.

Take a moment and let go of all that is of this world, and give it to Jesus. He died on that cross so you could live--vividly. Let go of all that's bogging you down and clogging you up...all that's keeping you buried under the weight of your sin.

Give it all to God, and then let yourself experience the freedom that comes from that. Freedom so that we can live vividly.

Don't let yourself be caged any longer. Go out and sing and dance in that blessed, marvelous, God-given freedom.

Go out and LIVE.