Freedom from. Freedom for.
“You have set my boundary lines in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” —Psalm 16:6
What does it mean to be free?
How do you discern what is bringing you freedom and what is quietly stealing it?
Lately, Scott and I have been living in those questions ourselves.
What is holding us back?
What is launching us into the next space of grace?
What are we holding too tightly?
What is God inviting us to release?
Perhaps you’re asking similar questions.
You’ve probably heard it said that freedom comes in two forms: freedom from and freedom for.
We believe true freedom begins with inner detachment.
It is the growing ability to loosen our grip on our overly attached needs for power and control, approval and affection, certainty and security. It is the ever-deepening experience of God, self, and neighbor as relationships to be known and loved rather than problems to solve or possessions to possess.
The irony is that we often lose our freedom not because of bad things, but because of good things pursued without measure.
Being strong.
Keeping the peace.
Doing good.
Helping others.
Producing more.
Being special.
Knowing more.
Being loyal.
Experiencing more.
These are all good gifts. But when any good thing becomes the thing, it quietly—or sometimes violently—begins to control us.
Ignatius of Loyola taught that holy indifference is the freedom that comes from releasing our disordered attachments.
Indifference doesn’t mean not caring. It means, as Scott likes to say, “caring less.”
It means holding every motivation with open hands so that nothing possesses us except the love of God.
When we become trapped by the illusion that achievement, approval, power, certainty, or possessions will finally make us safe, secure, or worthy, our interior life loses its harmony. We become anxious, reactive, stuck, or paralyzed.
But as we grow in freedom, we become more available to God.
An “indifferent” person is free to choose faith, hope, and especially love—free to love God more deeply, love others more generously, and even love themselves more truthfully.
This is freedom for—not merely freedom from.
Freedom isn’t simply escaping unhealthy habits or breaking old patterns. It is becoming increasingly free to become the person God created you to be and to live with courage, compassion, joy, and interior harmony.
Be free. Stay free.
And last but not least…
Happy 250th Birthday to the country we love. 🇺🇸
On Saturday we’ll fly the Stars and Stripes. We’ll sing our favorite songs of freedom. I’ll be listening and singing:“America the Beautiful“and “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” And if you listen to these groups bring your Kleenex! We’ll read speeches that inspire us to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Dear friends, unshrink your world.
Listen to the stories of Americans whose races, religions, cultures, experiences, and perspectives differ from your own. Let their stories expand your love for God and your neighbor.
Celebrate all that is beautiful and good while continuing to participate in the healing of all that is broken.
Let go of the lie that God loves some people more than others. Remember that freedom from tyranny is meant to become an instrument of freedom for others.
May this Great Experiment called the United States of America continue to move us toward liberty and justice for all, and may we never stop pursuing the deeper freedom Christ intends—for us, for our neighbors, and for the whole world that God so loves.
Be free. Bring freedom. ❤️
If you’d like to explore this journey more deeply, we’d love to have you join us for our Overflow Couples Workshop & Retreat this fall.
There are many wonderful people who teach on marriage and relationships. We’re simply offering what God has taught us through forty-five years of marriage, thirty-five years of co-leading a church, building businesses and ministries together, raising a family, walking through profound suffering, and discovering what it means to be free—to live and love from an overflowing soul.
Or, if you’re interested in Enneagram Harmony Training and Certification, join us January 12–15 for Motions of the Soul Training and Certification, where we practice becoming people who not only live from this kind of Christ-centered freedom but also help others discover it for themselves.
With gratitude for our delightful inheritance, and with hope for the boundary lines God is still drawing,
Clare & Scott
