What is True Freedom?

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This Fourth of July weekend, I feel grateful for the gifts of this country, even in seasons of struggle. I also hear Jesus’ words with fresh weight: “know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In New Church thought, freedom sits at the heart of spiritual life. God protects it because we must choose, receive, and live love freely. God does not make block prints. God is this beautiful painter, and each life carries a unique pattern of loves.

True freedom begins when those loves move from the inmost into the outmost. Our soul becomes the lived experience. We have rights, and we carry responsibilities. We have freedom, and we have obligations. Swedenborg teaches that real spiritual growth needs this sacred freedom, because the Lord invites rather than forces. So this weekend, listen for the hints. Let the better angels of our nature lead. Allow your life to be interrupted. Then freedom can become joy, service, integrity, and quiet peace.