The one thing I know about next year for you is that it will be different than you expected.
I just looked back on my goals and dreams for the year that is ending and the one thing I didn’t plan for enough was the unexpected. I didn’t anticipate the uncomfortable, the challenging, the adversity - all of the stuff which makes each year harder and different than we planned.
Josh Baldwin explores how we can walk through those unexpected moments in his song, “There is Freedom.”
In “There is Freedom,” Baldwin sings,
“When I'm walkin' through the valley, Your presence is around me
'Cause nothin' stands between me and my God
And the fear that was my prison is no longer where I'm livin'”
Whether exploring valleys, fears, darkness, or strongholds, Baldwin paints a vision of flourishing in the midst of environments where we do not normally think we could flourish.
In a video posted on Baldwin’s YouTube page exploring the story behind this song, he described the biblical origin of the song. The two passages are 2 Corinthians 3:17 and Romans 8:38. 2 Corinthians 3:17 states, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Romans 8:38 includes Paul’s declaration, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.”
Baldwin observed he hadn’t heard a song declaring these two truths together. He wanted to remind people of the freedom they have because of what Jesus did, now expressed through the Spirit. But he also wanted them to know they could dance and praise through the darkness. Going through a dark season can look different for someone who has the Spirit in their life. “We can go through the darkest places with hope and life. It is possible!”
As a pastor, I know the reality the song declares is possible. I also know for many people that reality seems like a distant land they will never reach. Personally, I went through some dark moments health-wise in 2022 where freedom seemed far away and where things felt much more dark than hopeful. There were few answers and an ever-growing sense of anxiety.
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So, how do you experience that hope and joy when you’re walking through darkness?
First, you have to meditate on the truths which inspired “There is Freedom.” Romans 8 is one of the most beloved chapters of the Bible for good reason. It’s overflowing with powerful reminders we need when things feel dark.
However, it’s not enough for us to know the truths that are in Romans 8. We need to return to them and meditate on them. We are not in control of a lot of things in our lives, but we do have a lot of control over what fills our minds. Instead of meditating on what could go wrong in the future (we call that kind of meditating “worry”) meditate on the good things and the right things God has done.
Second, memorize the truths of scripture. Maybe that starts by playing a song like “There is Freedom” on repeat until you memorize the lyrics. You could also go beyond memorizing the song lyrics to memorizing the scripture which inspired the song. Memorize Romans 8:1, “there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” or Romans 8:11, “the Spirit of God, who raised Christ Jesus from the dead, lives in you.”
Third, get your body involved and not just your mind. Assemble a worship playlist and head outside for a walk or a run. Stand up and turn on “There is Freedom” and have your own personal praise break or dance session. Without worrying about who is watching you, or what they are thinking, physically express your worship and praise to God.
Josh Baldwin wrote “There is Freedom,” citing many instances of times where his circumstances didn’t look like freedom. Yet he declared the freedom he had in Jesus Christ amidst those circumstances. You may not be an artist, or even feel like a writer, but what if you took time to describe all of the places in your life where it doesn’t look like freedom yet? Fill the page if that’s what it takes; write them all down.
Then, stop and change the color of the pen you’re using. In the new color, write these words over each of those circumstances: “Because of God’s love for me, there is freedom here.” Over each dark and difficult place, write “Because God’s spirit is here with me, there is freedom.”
The hopeful message of Baldwin’s song is a word this world needs.
“We can go through the darkest places with hope and life. It is possible!” Turn on this song and remember - wherever God’s presence meets you today, there is freedom!
Scott Savage is a pastor and a writer. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona. Scott is married to Dani and they are the proud parents of three children. He loves helping hurting people forgive others through his Free to Forgive course and you can read more of his writing at scottsavagelive.com.
