THE FEAR OF FREEDOM
DECISIONS
«All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits» (Proverbs 16:2).
Erich Fromm (1900-1980) wrote Escape From Freedom in 1941, when the world’s major powers were immersed in World War ll. In his work he highlighted one of the main characteristics of contemporary man: his inability to achieve genuine freedom. In the postwar years, Fromm’s book would become very popular reading in academic circles.
The contemporary era is characterized by the indecision and lack of commitment of a society. No one wants to «feel tied to commitments» and prefers to spend life sitting back and doing nothing, without responsibilities that force them to make decisions. The life of human beings is marked by the decisions they make throughout their existence. It is very convenient to blame others for our misfortunes and to place on them personal responsibilities to justify our lack of ability. But what do we gain from such attitudes? In the end, we were the ones who decided to accept defeat, give up, abandon ourselves to despair, and surrender.
To succeed or to be defeated, to be happy or unhappy, to enjoy or to make life miserable is a personal decision. No one can make us feel bad without our permission. No one can take away the joy of living without our consent. Hence the importance of knowing how to make relevant decisions at the right time. But making a decision involves the wise use of freedom. To be able to decide is to be free. And that’s where the problem begins for a lot of people who are afraid of freedom. They prefer to give up their free will and to place their capacity of decision making in the hands of other people. They prefer to be told what to do and assume a cowardly attitude to the possibility of dealing with the consequences of their decisions, without realizing that, in the long run, they will have to pay a very high price for this attitude.
It is possible that in your life the time has come to take on greater responsibilities and for that, firm decisions are required. You have to have the courage to pay the price. To be successful in life, you have to take solid resolutions.
Jesus said: «And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Don’t be afraid to follow the path of freedom, truth, or justice. All this is associated with the heavenly Father. God will give you the courage to follow the best path. Accept the challenge of being free!
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Take From: Daily Devotions for Youth 2020
«A New You»
From: Alejandro Medina Villareal
Collaborators: Gezer Noria & Misael Morillo