John 8:36

Throughout this day, Americans everywhere will celebrate freedom, as well they should. It's one of the defining principles of their nation. Yet one might ask, Of those celebrating freedom, how many are truly experiencing it?

Certainly many men and women are living the American dream. They enjoy well-paying careers and wonderful homes, thanks in large part to political liberty. But meanwhile, their "pursuit of happiness" has yet to be satisfied. The reason is that lots of people remain prisoners internally, despite their apparent success. They are bound to anxiety and depression, or a fear of losing what they've worked hard to possess. However liberating circumstances seem externally, we eventually learn that freedom must be realized within. But how?

The answer is Jesus Christ. Isaiah 61:1 prophesied a key aspect of Jesus' ministry, which continues to this day: He has come to heal the brokenhearted and set captives free. When we trust Him as Savior, the chains that keep us from joy are broken. We are liberated from lies that have been programmed in our minds from an early age, and we begin to see things from God's point of view. Then we discover that our needs, desires, and total well-being rest securely in the arms of a loving heavenly Father.

Are you feeling the weight of anxiety or anger? Look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, and remember the scriptural promise: "Now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). The day you trust in Him is the day He delivers you from fear and opens your eyes to who you truly are.

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