First of all, I apologize because this post is lengthy. Second, let me provide some background to this title. I've always been interested in knowing the answers to "why" questions, especially when it comes to people's behavior. So recently I've been out to a few bars with some coworkers. (Call me heathen or pagan if you will, but I have found it a great way to get to know these folks and share the love of Christ with them. But that's another topic for another blog...on to my psychological analysis.) At these bars I've observed all kinds of people, but what I find most interesting is that for a vast majority of barhoppers, the goal is to get drunk. And you might be thinking, well duh!?! In my naivity, I'd hoped for a few out there like myself who go for the social aspect of it, not to get completely intoxicated. For this majority population, I have come to a conclusion about their motivation for getting drunk. I believe it is to escape. And not just to escape from stress at work or problems in a relationship, but to be totally free from caring at all, for better or worse. When you're drunk, you don't care as much what you say or how you act because you care less of what others think. It's easier to be free with how you really feel about people or things, free to sing and dance around like crazy, free to have quality conversations with strangers who become fast friends. It's also an escape from the worries, problems, and issues of life. It's easier to forget and just not care about those things for a little while.
But then reality hits. You have a hangover the next day, completely regret the hurtful things you said to your best friend, and vaguely recall fooling around with someone who remains nameless. The pain is back. You are no longer carefree. You have the heavy burden of all of those cares and then some hanging over you...until the next night out that you can go get drunk and escape...
So the vicious cycle continues. The thing about this method of coping and escaping the cares of the world is that it's temporary; the pain always come back, sometimes worse than it was before.
Thank God there is hope. There is something, actually someone, who can offer us the freedom that we all crave. We don't want to worry about all of our issues and problems. And we don't have to. Jesus Christ offers us freedom from these burdens. He doesn't take all difficult circumstances or trying relationships away, but he intervenes and helps in the tough situations while also providing peace. We experience this peace when we remember that he is in control when we hand our lives --all of ourselves and life situations--over to him. (1 Peter 5:7, John 16:33, Phil. 4:7) This just means admitting that we can't do it on our own. We need a Savior. When we acknowledge our need for Christ, and ask him to lead our lives, we see how much he really does care for us and love us. We begin to see him working out our bad situations for good. We experience the freedom that comes in knowing Christ.
This freedom is not unlike the liberty that people want to experience via alcohol. In having a relationship with God, we find our identity as his children; therefore, we're more likely to speak and act without caring as much what others think. We're free to allow ourselves to be vulnerable and open up to others with whom we wouldn't normally speak. We're free to be joyful, to sing and dance around like crazy because we have life! The best part of it is, this freedom-life is an ongoing offer. Jesus offers abundant life, and will give it freely to anyone who asks and stops trying to find it on their own (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus promised us, "I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of" (John 10:10, The Message). That life is not just after death, but now!
I write all of these things only because I sell out so many times for things that are not life-giving. The only thing that can give this full life, this freedom from worry, is a life in Christ.
Lord, thank you for making your children free and alive, characteristics we can't find anywhere but in you.
