True Love and Freedom
Finding True Love and True Freedom: What Jesus' Truth Means for Your Life This Lent
"Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth." (John 17:17) "All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." (Psalm 119:160)
As a young girl, I dreamed of finding true love. I had it all pictured in my head—romantic gestures, perfect harmony, never really fighting or feeling hurt. You know, the fairy-tale version we see in movies or scroll past on social media.
Fast forward through 15 years of marriage, and life had taught me a hard but beautiful lesson. I finally let go of those unrealistic expectations. True love isn't about everything feeling easy or perfect. It's choosing to stay when things get tough, fighting through conflicts together instead of walking away, showing patience and kindness even on days when you're exhausted or frustrated. It's forgiving, serving, and showing up—day after day.
Now, after 28 years together, my husband is my absolute best friend. We laugh more, enjoy simple moments, and support each other through whatever comes. He loved and pursued me even when I carried heavy baggage from my past and wasn't always easy to love. That kind of unwavering commitment? That's true love in action.
This reminds me of how God loves us—pursuing us in our mess, forgiving our flaws, and choosing us anyway.
Suzanne Eller writes in The Spirit-Led Heart: "Truth penetrates. It divides and separates. It exposes false teaching that has a hint of truth but leads away from God rather than toward Him. It sorts through manipulation and clouded messages so that we can see clearly."
She's so right. Truth cuts through the noise. And the Bible is clear: we're all sinners who need a Savior (1 John 1:8). We've dug pits for ourselves with our choices, lies we've believed, or ways we've tried to define "truth" on our own terms.
But here's the good news: Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Spending time with Him is the best way to focus on what is truly real and life-giving. His Spirit guides us into all truth (John 16:13), leads us in what is right (Psalm 25:5), and promises that if we hold to His teaching, we will know the truth—and the truth will set us free (John 8:31-32).
This season of Lent is an ideal time to lean into that truth. Lent isn't just about giving up chocolate or social media (though those can help create space). It's a 40-day journey of prayer, reflection, and repentance—turning away from sin and the world's distorted ideas of love, success, or happiness, and turning toward Jesus. Just as Jesus fasted in the wilderness and faced temptation with God's Word, Lent invites us to strip away distractions, confess where we've been deceived, and let God's truth sanctify us.
Have you ever bought into the world's version of "truth"? Maybe that true love means never having hard days, or that happiness comes from more stuff, approval, or control. Those lies can feel comforting at first, but they lead us away from real freedom and joy.
Lent calls us to replace those lies with God's unchanging truth. It's a season to:
Spend daily time in Scripture and prayer, letting Jesus—the Truth—speak into your heart.
Reflect honestly on areas where sin or deception has taken root (repentance is key!).
Let the Holy Spirit guide you, exposing what needs to change so you can walk in freedom.
This Lent, commit to sitting with Jesus each day. Ask Him to show you His truth about love, about yourself, about life. Allow His Spirit to lead you deeper into freedom—the kind that comes from knowing and following the One who is the Truth.
Jesus pursued us when we were unlovable, carried our baggage to the cross, and rose to give us new life. That's true love. And in Him, we find true freedom.
What lies have you believed that you'd like to replace with God's truth this Lent? I'd love to hear in the comments—let's encourage each other on this journey!
Anna
