Locations & Times

Have you ever paused long enough to notice the voices you’re listening to?

One morning, I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. As I looked at what was staring back at me, words began to surface—uninvited and untrue.

Unworthy. Useless. Prideful. Weak.

I remember sitting there, feeling the weight of those thoughts, and wondering where they had come from. More honestly, I wondered why I had allowed them to stay. In that moment, a question arose in my heart: Whose voice am I listening to right now?

Because I know this to be true—my Savior has never used those words to describe me.
And He never will.

God’s voice is firm, yet gentle. Correcting, yet full of grace. As I sat there longer, another voice began to rise—not loud, not demanding, but steady and kind.

You are worthy.
You are strong.
You are chosen.
You are a delight.
You are a daughter of the King.

As I stayed there, I began to remember my true identity—because of the words God has written on my heart. Not the words shaped by fear or comparison. Not the labels I’ve carried from the past, but the truth He has spoken over me from the beginning.

Chosen. Beloved. Forgiven. Free.

These are truths I’ve encountered not in striving, but in abiding. Truths I’ve come to know through time spent in His presence and in His Word—where His voice becomes familiar, and the lies begin to lose their grip. But as soon as I stop abiding, distracted by my circumstances, outcomes, or my fleshly desires, the other voices creep back in, and I forget to rest in who He is.

Maybe you’ve felt this too—believing lies, even while knowing the truth.

Sometimes it happens when we drift from time in God’s presence, when old habits resurface, or in seasons of waiting and hardship and our hearts are tired.

In these moments, the lies can feel louder than the truth. And without realizing it, we begin to redefine what freedom really is.

I’ve felt it myself —standing in front of the mirror, carrying the weight of trying to navigate life alone, believing I had to get it all right. The words that surfaced weren’t new; they were familiar, echoing the world’s promise that freedom comes from doing it on my own, defining myself, holding tight to control. Yet, the more I chased that kind of freedom, the heavier it felt.

Jesus doesn’t compete with the noise. He draws us near, offering a freedom that is found not in striving or proving, but in resting, remaining, and simply abiding in Him.

In John 8:31–32, Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

We often hear the word abide, but do we know what it really means? It’s more than a spiritual concept—it’s an invitation. To abide means to remain, to dwell, to live in a deep and ongoing relationship with God. It is an active dependence—drawing life from Him and allowing His truth to shape us from the inside out.

In John 8, the Jewish leaders resist Jesus’ words, certain they are already free because they come from Abraham. But Jesus shifts the conversation. Freedom, He explains, isn’t proven by ancestry, it’s revealed in how we live and who we follow. A true son is known not by ancestry, but by likeness—formed through closeness to the Father.

Paul later echoes this truth in Galatians 3:24-29; what was once slavery under the law has been replaced with belonging through Christ. Because of Jesus, we no longer strive to become free, we live from freedom as sons and daughters who remain in Him.

Scripture reminds us that when we remain in Him, His words remain in us (John 15:7). And it is there—rooted in His truth—that we are reminded of who we truly are. Not because of what we’ve done or failed to do, but because of who He is.

True freedom isn’t found in self-rule, self-protection, or the exhausting work of proving our worth. It isn’t secured by controlling outcomes. It is found in being released from the slavery of sin and remaining free as we abide in His Word.

When I abide in God’s Word, I am reminded of what is true. When I abide, lies lose their power. When I abide, I remember that Jesus already paid the price for my freedom.

Freedom doesn’t come from silencing every other voice, it comes from staying close enough to recognize His.

Maybe today, God is inviting you to pause, sit, and listen. To notice the voice you’ve been believing. To identify one lie—just one—that has shaped how you view freedom, identity, or control.

And then He asks you to release it to Him, in an act of surrender, and replace it with the truth of His Word. And as you choose to abide—day by day—you’ll discover that the truth doesn’t just set you free... it teaches you how to live free.

If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.