Whenever you feel obligated, you limit freedom for you and your ability to see choices. If you pay attention to what you say, you will start noticing your use of three words: should, ought, and must.
Those words are a clear indication that you are turning good commitments into obligations. For example, your marriage vows are a commitment. Are they a choice or an obligation? Do you have to stay married, or do you want to stay married? How about obedience to God? Do you have to obey God, or do you want to? Do you have to love others, or do you want to?
Obligation Works Against Your Freedom
Obligation de-energizes you – when you no longer see a choice. It makes you complain that you should, ought to, must do it, or have to do it. You “roll your eyes” when you think about it. Starting is more difficult, so it keeps you busy with other things, or keeps you in bed in the morning. You end up reacting and responding instead of making a conscious choice.
Obligation removes your freedom – when you no longer can see a choice. What is sad is that past promises that you made, important ones, can become an obligation. Great goals that you set can become an obligation. Any free choice that you make can be turned into a “have to do,” which is an obligation.
Obligation derails commitment – when you no longer can see a choice. Just like great goals, the commitments you swore to or solemnly chose can become an obligation. Your former “want to” has now become a “have to,” which blocks any sense of choice that you have. Then, to make it worse, the commitment turned into an obligation is now used to manipulate ourselves into compliance.
FREE; That's Reality!
You know that you are free to make choices, but you may need to be reminded of it. You are free to live by good values. God set you free. He gave you the freedom to know and do what is right, to experience joy even in the most difficult situations. Freedom is ultimately dependent on Godly thinking and does not depend on your physical circumstances. You can be in prison but remain free in your thinking, as the Apostle Paul did when he was in jail. You are free to depend on God or yourself. He allows every circumstance in your life for your best, and when you depend on God, you do not become a slave to any event, situation, or person.
Only Christians, with the power of the Holy Spirit inside, can truly live and express freedom. When you depend on God to handle life's circumstances and people, you see the reality of your choices. Be responsible with your freedom, be a good steward, and be thankful for all circumstances God allows in your life. Each event is an opportunity to become more like Jesus.
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