Let’s not take Freedom for Granted

I’m speaking tonight to a group of men who are incarcerated at a correctional facility in NC. It’s part of a Christian program to help men rebuild their lives and gain a sense of hope and purpose. I’ve never been in prison and you likely have not either but I expect I’m going to hear these men tonight express how much they miss their freedom.

So I’ve been thinking about how most of us, including myself, take out freedom for granted. Often times people feel a sense of unhappiness, lack of purpose and even anxiety, depression or thoughts of suicide (about 60% based on a recent study).

We tend to focus on what we don’t have rather than on the blessings we do have. We can reel of quickly all of our problems, and we all have problems, challenges and obstacles.

But we also have enormous advantages, especially compared to other parts of the world. We still live in the best country in the world and yet many suffer from a lack of clear purpose in their lives.

Purpose is a very personal concept which provides for us a sense of direction, meaning and accomplishment; a sense that My Life Matters.

I believe every one of us has a very unique, powerful God given purpose for our lives. When we get clear about what it is, our purpose motivates us to engage in life with enthusiasm to accomplish it, making the world better.

The greatest part of living in the US is the overarching purpose which was declared by our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence. It declares that we all have “The inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

No guarantees, not a promise that the government will make life great for you, but a clear dedication to the individual freedom to live your life as you choose and pursue the happiness you deserve.

While we have challenges in our country, we are still fundamentally free. When we make bad decisions, we sometimes lose various aspects of our freedom. But when we respect the rights of our neighbors, we are free to live our lives with zest, pursuing our passions, our purpose and I believe find a sense of peace and happiness.

That, friends, is exciting and energizing. So, don’t take your freedom for granted or any of the other many blessings you have. Get up every day excited to be alive, focus on achieving your purpose, and

Make the world a little bit better, one day, one person, one smile at a time. Remember, Your Life Matters, blessings.