How many long-term relationships do you have in your life in the present day? Do you still talk to someone from high school? Do you have a sibling who is more like a best friend? Or a cousin that is your soul sister?
Relationships for the long haul can be some of the best gifts to the human experience-- people who can know and love us well over the decades. Yet, this isn't always the case with everyone. We move. People move. We change. People change.
Our Facebook culture has given us this idea that we have to be in touch with everyone we ever met! (It's crazy, right?)
Sometimes we realize, "This person was in my life for a time and it's over."
To this plight enter this week's word: freedom. Freedom defined as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
To live your life in freedom is to intentionally think about the question of WHY. Why are you saying yes?
Freedom in relationships means to say NO to obligation and YES to what is life-giving.
Freedom in relationships is what can lead us to the people we need right wear we find ourselves.
Freedom in relationships moves us away from guilt and just doing stuff because we have to do it. Or because we might let the person down if we don't keep things going.
Moving into freedom with people around us can be painful though. Often expectations don't align. People want us in their lives but it's not an experience we need. Other times, we want to be closer to folks who simply don't have time for us.
But the ancient wisdom I always go back to is this: the truth will set you free.
Freedom helps us honor the truth of others. Freedom helps us honor the truth about ourselves (often the hardest truth to offer). Freedom gives us this gift of letting go what is not ours to have. And, settling into freedom can feel so good! Do you know what I mean?
So, this week, I would love for you to spend some time thinking about the most important relationships of your life. How are you spending your time lately?Maybe what might emerge for you is a person or persons that you are spending time in that you just need to let go. No hard feelings. No drama. Not even some big talk. But just let be what is: freedom. Live your life in your lane where you need to be.
Freedom, you see, is this beautiful gift God gives so so that our life can open up to more beautiful things-- the things that are most life-giving for us!
Here's hoping for a week filled with joy for you-
XO
Elizabeth
