My Song of Freedom

 brokenness was once my anthem 

not that i willingly chose that melody 
but it had a rhythm from which i could not escape 
i knew my heart was created to beat to a different song 
a completely different tune in a much higher key 
but i could not help but nod my head to the simplistic, debased, hypnotizing beat 
it’s as if it was composed just for me

its creator, i knew, was not my friend 
he was not only my enemy 
but also the enemy of my Father

there were moments when the melody of my soul’s True Friend grew louder 
i realize it was only because i would give in to the pull of His tether to my heart 
but all the while 
i could hear the all-too-familiar anthem of brokenness faint in the background 
calling me to return to my enemy

for too many years, i was held captive 
no matter how hard i tried to tune out the melody of my false friend 
his grip on me was relentless 
impossible, i thought,  i’ll never know true freedom until my Friend returns and makes all things new

already my Friend had given me everything 
and even though i could not grasp or see it in its fullness 
it was mine, guaranteed, and no one could take it away from me

but not yet 
my false friend loved when i danced to his rhythm 
my computer screen as his lure, anything to entice my gaze long enough for my heart to give in 
for my body to crave more 
for my soul to grow cold 
for my Friend to be grieved

his grip on me was relentless but His was all the more

selah

Thank God he gave me victory 
I can finally breathe as if I’d never truly breathed before 
The immense weight of shame is no longer on my shoulders 
There are days when I hear my old anthem playing faintly in the background 
But I don’t let myself listen to it long enough to try to figure out where it’s coming from or strategize how to turn down its volume

Instead, I run

I run to my Father 
I run to His Word that never leaves me unsatisfied 
I run to meet my God where I see and feel Him ever so near 
Among the trees, among the birds 
Among His image-bearers who love to sing His praises with me 
Who declare His truths to me and over me when I’ve decided I’ve had enough of my enemy’s lies

Thank God He gave me victory for I would not know it without Him, for freedom does not exist except within Him

Brokenness was once my anthem 
Death was once where I was headed 
But now I run freely to the tune of 
Healed 
Forgiven 
Death defeated 
Freedom in Christ 
I run freely into His marvelous light

This was originally published on TheLife.com