July 4: Free From What Enslaved You
Today the country celebrates freedom, and the cooler at the cookout is full of ice and cans. Someone will hand you one without asking. What will you do?
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Paul says you were called to freedom. Then he adds a warning. Don’t use that freedom as a chance for the flesh. Freedom isn’t doing whatever you want. You already tried that. It led to a cage.
Think about what drinking promised you. Relief. Fun. Belonging. Think about what it delivered. Mornings you couldn’t remember. Money gone. People hurt. That isn’t freedom. That’s slavery with a party hat on.
Real freedom is being able to stand in a backyard full of people, holding a soda, and not be owned by what’s in the cooler. It’s being able to leave when you need to. It’s waking up tomorrow knowing exactly what you said and did.
Humility helps here more than willpower. Willpower says, “I can handle it.” Humility says, “I know what I am, and I’ll plan for it.” Pride walks into the party with no plan. Humility shows up with a full drink of its own, a ride home, and a friend’s number ready.
A few plain ideas for today. Bring your own drinks so your hands are never empty. Tell one person ahead of time that you’re not drinking. Have an exit time and keep it. If the pressure builds, step away and make a call. Nobody needs a long explanation. “No thanks, I’m good” is a full sentence.
And if you’re early in this and your body has been used to drinking every day, be careful in another way too.
Safety first. If you drink heavily every day, stopping suddenly can be dangerous. Talk to a doctor before you quit.
Freedom came at a price. For the country, and for you. Christ paid for yours. You don’t have to hand it back for one afternoon.
One thing today
Before you go anywhere today, text one sober person your plan: where you’ll be, what you’ll drink, and when you’ll leave. Ask them to check on you at that time.
A prayer
Lord, thank You for setting me free. Today I don’t want to trade that freedom for a few hours of relief. Give me a plan, a clear head and the humility to leave early if I need to. Amen.
If the urge hits hard today, the page on alcohol cravings has things to try right away.
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