Running to the Savior

Back to the Freedom Journey Series.

The first thing I want to mention is that "Running to the Savior" is a sanctification process. It's a process of God working in us as we strive for more of Him and it won't be complete until the return of our Savior (I Thess 5:23-24). I like how Elyse Fitzpatrick puts it, "Sanctification is that slow process of growth from our old ways of thinking and living to new, godly ones. Sanctification doesn't occur overnight--in fact, it's never fully completed until we reach heaven. At heart, it's the change that God is accomplishing through us: change into the image and character of His Son (Romans 8:29)" (Overcoming Fear, Worry, and Anxiety p. 90).

With that said, I want to talk about the three things that I've held onto throughout this journey.

The Word of God, Journal, & Pen

Diet programs and books teach you what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat. However, most of them do not succeed in the area of explaining why you eat the way you do. They fail in this area because their reasoning only focuses on outer change instead of heart change. I was one that used to run to all the latest diet fads and they all gave me temporal results but my heart never changed. God is changing my heart from focusing on "the fruit" of behavior change which only causes me to be satisfied with results. Instead He wants me to focus on "the Vine" in which I strive to be solely satisfied with the Savior as I abide in Him (John 15:4-5).
I have to stand on the truth of God's Word and the faithfulness of His character. He has to be the focus and foundation of any lasting change and deliverance from sin. As John 8:36 so beautifully says it,

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

That was the main verse that encouraged me to press on in faith as I started my journey. It was also one of the 1st verses that I wrote in my journal. I'll talk more about the journal in later posts.