House Arrest (4 of 4)

What I’ve learned

Going through something traumatic may not be great in ones eyes at that moment. It may just seem like the world is collapsing around you and all hell is breaking loose… Well, it seemed like that for me on the day of my accident. I can still recall the sounds of the helicopter’s propellers, the sounds of the police radios, the ambulance sirens… It was a rough day, I can’t deny that. I’ll even admit that for a small amount of time God was not the most popular person on my list. We went from buddies to me thinking that He was (because this is not a 18 and over blog, I have decided to remove the bad words from this sentence).

Well, all was not lost. A friend told me that I really inspired her with my faith as she drove away from the accident site. On her way to take me home, I turned to her with tears in my eyes and said, “I’m not sure what He’s up to, but I know God will pull me through this and He does have a plan.” As I slowly move on in time an think back, I’m beginning to recall conversations like that. It still blows my mind that I was that faithful to God (despite my short lived temper out burst mentioned earlier). So, that just goes to show that I’m still learning and probably will for many years to come.

What I have learned however which I feel so many take for granted is the freedom which is granted in Christ. So many times I hear people say that they are free in Christ and I now can’t help but wonder if they really are aware what it truly means to be free in Christ. It hurt, a lot, when I sat in the common room at my college and watched the students of the college laughing and giggling, unaware of just what freedom is. Unaware of the gift that has so freely been given to them. Unaware of what it truly means to be free.

I can remember going home and lying in my bed at night wondering what was going to happen to me. I lost weight, I couldn’t sleep, my marks at college dropped… I was a wreck, until it hit me. Paul’s letter to the church of Philippi suddenly took on a whole new perspective. I was free in Christ… I was able to find the true meaning of freedom and it was GREAT. I was eventually free and I was lead towards a greater understanding of joy. I now feel I can relate to the Apostle Paul as he sat in a prison cell, with minimal food and water, possibly not even sure if he’d make it to the next day or not and a worry in his mind. I always thought this guy (Paul) was a psycho… But now… now I know from where the letter was written. The letter is amazingly beautiful!!! I have never before read such a heart felt letter!!!

Even as I write this blog, I’m having difficulty keeping it short. I just want to go on and on and on about the freedom in the true and living God I NOW KNOW. The true joy found in suffering for Christ… There is just so much and I honestly could probably do a whole week on what I’ve learned from this experience… If you asked me to sum up my feelings, I'd ask you to watch an eagle fly… the image says all I’d say.

I hope this past week has in some way helped answer some of the questions you may have had revolving my whole ordeal. In the very same breathe, I hope that in some way I’ve been able to help you think about your rough patches in life and to make you realize, they more beautiful then you think…

Have you really experienced the freedom Paul talks about? Do you know of this joy he talks about?