Finding Freedom

Screeching to a Halt: Wrestling with Freedom

In case I never mentioned it, I am a follower of Christ. If that makes you uncomfortable, no worries—just keep on scrolling. No hard feelings. But if you’re still here, let me tell you about something that stopped me in my tracks today.

I was reading Galatians 5, and the title of the chapter jumped out at me: “A Life of Freedom.” Sounds great, right? And then I read verse 1:

“At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free.”

And that’s when my mental brakes squealed like a cartoon car hitting an invisible wall.

Hold Up… I Don’t Feel Free

I don’t know about you, but some days, “freedom” is not exactly the word I’d use to describe how I feel. Because, believe it or not, Christians struggle with the same stuff as anyone else. We doubt, we overthink, we get stuck in our own heads.

Lately, I’ve been caught up in a whirlwind of worries that, if I’m being honest, feel pretty ridiculous. I get tangled in thoughts about what others think—something that seems to hit especially hard as a woman. Is my hair okay? Does this outfit even match? Should I wear the dang earrings or just go without? And once that door cracks open, my brain rushes in like a toddler with a sugar rush.

Wait… why did I buy ricotta cheese and spinach? What recipe was that for?
When is the absolute perfect time to call my sister for her birthday so she picks up and I don’t have to leave a voicemail?
Are squirrels secretly running an underground society and judging me from the trees?

Yeah. This is my life.

She Is Trippin’

So now I’m sitting here wondering—did I just lose you, or are you nodding along thinking, Yep, I feel that in my soul? Because, let’s be real, there are plenty of important, serious issues I could be focused on—politics, health, money, family, the rising cost of eggs (seriously, are they golden now?).

But instead, my mind tends to take a sharp left turn into the land of the completely unnecessary. The squirrelly stuff.

Just Believe

And then, I come across Mark 5:36:

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

That’s it. No complicated formulas. No checklists. No overanalyzing. Just believe.

It reminds me of the first Bible verse I ever memorized: “Jesus wept.” Short, simple, and straight to the point.

So where is my freedom? It’s right where it’s always been—in Christ. Freedom isn’t about having all the answers or never overthinking life’s little (or ridiculous) details. It’s about knowing that what happened on the cross set me free—not just from sin, but from every oppressive thought, every moment of doubt, every second I spend trapped in my own head.

Because when the Son sets you free—you are free. Even if your brain still occasionally wonders what squirrels talk about when we’re not looking.