Set free.

These two words changed my life drastically this past year. They hold so much truth for each of our lives, but many times it is easy to allow ourselves to be captured by lies that the world throws at us.

Lies of inadequacy. Lies of being unlovable. Lies of being alone. Lies of being replaceable. Lies about physical appearance. Lies about not being good enough.

If we are not careful, we can allow these lies to spiral out of control and take our hearts captive until we believe that they are true. This past semester, I faced this challenge as I fought battles against lies that had manifested into insecurities. These insecurities were deeply rooted and left me feeling trapped in a constant pit of sadness filled with worry and fear. These feelings lasted for a couple months until those two words came into my life.

Set free.

2 Corinthians 3:17 says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Freedom can be defined as the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. As I reflected on this verse, it became clear that I did not have to live feeling like a prisoner to those lies. It’s common for people to speak about how Christ has set us free from the bondage that sin creates, but it’s more than that. Christ has set us free from all bondage and negativity that enslaves us.

We’ve been set free from sin and shame, set free from insecurities, set free from worry. We are set free from the pain that anxiety and depression causes and set free from believing the lies that so easily creep in and enslave our hearts.

This doesn’t mean, however, that we are never going to struggle with these again. I’ll be honest; this is still a daily battle for me. But, in those moments of struggle and pain we can fight off lies with real truths. Truths that have been spoken over us by a Holy and loving God. If you are reading this and struggle or have struggled with believing lies, know that you are not alone.

You are adequate. You are lovable. You are not replaceable. You are valued. You are enough. You have been set free!

Last weekend, I decided to make this reminder permanent just as Jesus’ sacrifice for me is permanent and unchanging. I chose to get a tattoo on my foot because a lot of times in sadness it is easiest for me to look down and become insecure, but seeing this artwork reminds me that instead of looking down I should fix my gaze on God. To set my focus on my Heavenly Father who so deeply values and treasures me, allowing me to live free from captivity just like a bird flies freely in the sky.