The Invitation to Freedom We Keep Missing
- Dr. Jackie Minor
- Jul 5
- 5 min read
It’s a bit nerve-racking to attempt a blog that has anything to do with the topic of freedom. Maybe I’m just paranoid, but the word freedom seems to carry so many layers, connotations, and emotions that stepping on toes feels likely. However, my sincere intention isn’t to offend but invite. There is freedom in becoming who God made us to be. We should never feel compelled to conform to an image imposed on us by friends, colleagues, or social media. Such pressure can crush us. Instead, God invites us to freely and unapologetically be our unique selves.
As our Independence Day celebrations come to an end, I’ve been thinking about freedom and the invitation God extends to us in Christ. Unfortunately, this is an invitation we don’t always fully embrace. Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” This single verse offers an invitation to freedom.
So many people today struggle to find their sense of purpose, bound by “what ifs” and “when wills.” I use the word bound because when we struggle to find our purpose, we don’t feel free. Instead, we feel enslaved. In those moments, we begin to question our identity, unsure what this life is supposed to look like and who we really are deep down inside. I’m here to give you some good news! Ephesians 2:10 provides four simple truths that remind us of who we are and why we are here.
Truth #1: “For we are His workmanship…”
The word workmanship speaks of something intentionally designed and carefully crafted such as a work of art. We are His workmanship, meaning God is our Creator and He is purposeful in His creation. Nothing about His design is accidental. All of us were born at a specific time, in a specific location, with specific parents. We were given unique physical and personality traits, woven together in a beautiful tapestry.
When was the last time you thought of yourself that way? I imagine there are times when all of us have wished God had made different decisions. Personally, I wish I had longer legs and a temperament that was a little less high-strung! Seriously, though, how often do we question God’s design? When was the last time you echoed the words of David, “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14)?
Perhaps the invitation begins right here—with receiving ourselves as God’s workmanship. We should not strive to become like someone else or reshape ourselves to match what others think. Instead, we should embrace who God uniquely created each of us to be.
Will you accept the invitation?
Truth #2: “…created in Christ Jesus…”
If we rush past these words—in Christ Jesus—we will miss the source of true freedom. Paul described a freedom that is only found through faith in Christ. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life] (2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP). In other words, we are never free to become our true selves apart from Jesus. It all comes down to faith.
Jesus affirmed this truth throughout His ministry. One of the most powerful moments was in His conversation with Martha. Jesus stated, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die…Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26). The world tells us freedom means finding ourselves, but Jesus tells us freedom means finding and believing in Him.
Will you accept the invitation?
Truth #3: “…for good works which God prepared beforehand…”
Let’s address our purpose. Once we understand that we are created and recreated in Christ, our purpose is no longer self-motivated but Kingdom-driven. There is something deeply freeing about the phrase “which God prepared beforehand.” I often find myself stressing over what I am supposed to be doing. While it is important to be faithful and attentive in our walk with Christ, this verse removes the burden of figuring everything out on our own. God has a plan, and He invites us to trust Him.
Just as important is this truth: we are created for good works not by good works. We are saved for what God has already prepared for us to do. The next time you feel pressure to be enough, do enough, or prove enough, remember that Jesus already paid the price for your freedom. Good works are the result of our salvation, not the cause of salvation. As such, we should strive to do good so that we fulfill our purpose and bring glory to God.
Will you accept the invitation?
Truth #4: “…that we should walk in them.”
The final expression of freedom is obedience, which sounds like a contradiction of terms. We all want to be free to do whatever we want. Over time, though, I have learned that walking outside of God’s plan isn’t freedom at all; it creates its own kind of prison. Disobedience always leads to separation from God, pulling us back toward the desires of our flesh, and we all know where that leads.
To “walk in them” is a reference to our lifestyles. God created us on purpose, uniquely gifting us to glorify Him, serve the body of Christ, and love others (1 Corinthians 12). The charge to believers is to do this daily as we live in the midst of a lost world. That may sound like an impossible expectation, and it is if we rely solely on our own strength. The only way to live a life of consistent obedience is to follow Paul’s directive in Galatians 5. We are to walk in the Spirit.
Walking in the Spirit is not about following a list of rules. Thankfully, we are free from that kind of bondage. Instead, walking in the Spirit means cooperating with Him, yielding control to Him, and trusting His leading. This kind of walking brings the freedom Christ died for and produces His fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Perhaps this is what freedom really looks like—not becoming someone else, not striving to prove ourselves, and not comparing our lives to everyone around us, but becoming exactly who God created us to be.
Will you accept the invitation?
As the fireworks fade and another Independence Day passes, let’s consider focusing on freedom from a different perspective. God is inviting us to stop striving, stop comparing, and stop wondering if we are good enough. Freedom isn’t found in becoming who we want to be or who others want us to be. Freedom is found in becoming who God created us to be.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
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