Defining Moments and Signs of Freedom from God

Some of the most defining moments and seasons in life are laced with signs of freedom from God. Let’s unpack this thought. Right off the bat I have to say that this summer has become more of an odd awakening of freedom and exploring God’s signs than I expected.

The summer of 2020 has gone a lot differently than I expected (for so many reasons). Summer has felt redefined in many ways this year. It hasn’t felt like any other summer.

This was going to be our last summer as a family unit of two parents and two kids. Next summer our daughter will be on a co-op term that bridges year two and three of her university program. (How is this possible … wasn’t she just a toddler not too long ago?!)

I have felt my freedom crunched heavily by the travel restrictions of the various corona-quarantines that the entire world is groaning under. I know, I can hear all of you sweet people sighing along with me … a summer like none of us expected.

BUT, this type of unexpected is what God is really good at redeeming. God hates injustice and sickness and the cramping of freedoms … even more than we do! Changes and abnormalities in life become the perfect set-up for a defining moment and a hug from God.

Defining Moments

It seems that God likes to create defining moments in the now that we can look back on later in life, and recognize that moment of divine wisdom, that pearl of a life lesson was gifted to us.

And God loves redeeming and restoring things that we feel we’ve lost along the way. Lost freedom too falls into this category.

Let me share a story from almost 30 years ago. A moment – or an event actually – where God delivered freedom to me, in a way that has always stuck with me.

“When we have an event in our lives that we call a defining moment usually it’s one that we look back on and it helps us understand who we are and how we fit into this world. A pivotal event that God breathes on will shape how we see life and how we accomplish our tasks.

God loves defining moments.

“God loves defining moments. Right in the centre of these significant moments He will show up and deliver deep insight and blessing to us. He will adjust previous mindsets and paradigms, catapulting us deeper into His good plans and next steps for us.

“Back in 1994 I had my own mountain encounter with God that really was only a few seconds long, but it has profoundly affected my life forever after. I was on tour with a ministry team for several months across the USA and Western Canadian Provinces. When I signed up for the tour, I actually didn’t know that Oahu, Hawaii was a ‘stop’, but it quickly became the highlight of our ministry tour (as you can imagine).

“There wasn’t much down time with this tour, and we really had no days off to speak of. The musical we were putting on required a lot of stage set-up and tear-down, with props and costume changes. Long bus rides. Not glamorous at all. So, by the time we reached Hawaii, I was exhausted, had a respiratory infection and I just kind of wanted to go home.

“One day the driver got lost, and didn’t know where we were (pre-GPS days!) and we had driven around for an hour. This is a hard thing to do as the island of Oahu is really not that big! I was feeling a little car sick and asked to pull over, and here is where it happened.

Pull over, I need a defining moment from God … how about a Sign?

“The side of the road was black gravel made from broken bits of lava. It was a nice diversion from the twisty roads we’d been on. I looked past the little fence at the edge of the road, and took a long look down the coast and at the endless Pacific. I felt an urge to climb over the fence.

“The steep slope of dark lava had been carved over time by the wind, hollowing hundreds of bowling ball sized pockets out of the rock. Close to the shore these pockets were full of glistening ocean water ebbing and flowing. It was mesmerizing.

“The roar and foam of the ocean filling and draining this windswept place, bright sun, fresh air – I felt the presence of God surge through me and the exhilaration of time, space, fatigue, sickness … all swept away in His presence and time stood still it seemed.

“The greatest sense of Divine freedom and peace invaded me – every pore of my body was alive and well. I could sense the depth and reality of God’s love, His smile, His affection and the fullness of freedom that Jesus paid for, coursing through me.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free (John 8:36, NLT). There is no going back to the former slavery of mind when we plant ourselves on the Rock of Freedom and ask Him to hold us there.

Bring on the defining moment of freedom!

“God has brought this scene to mind many times since the early 1990’s. The picture of windswept freedom of spirit, soul, mind, and body, poured into me by Jesus. He has challenged me not to lend my brain space out to generational dysfunction and other situations that deplete me.

“God has healing and freedom for me – for keeps. Have I maintained this perfectly? Not exactly – it’s a journey of learning to release myself into God’s grace.

“God knows both the best pace and how to effectively open my eyes to see how much deeper His redemption and freedom goes than my dysfunction and brokenness. Yes, it has been decades of healing and growth.

Here’s the beautiful thing, when I go at God’s pace He maintains and sustains the healing.

“The events that God uses as signs in our lives may or may not be dramatic moments in themselves, but they are pivotal moments that God leans into with His love and wisdom, and produces clarity and direction that change the course of our lives.”

Would you like some defining moments from God – His signs of freedom coming into your life?

May this summer be a time where God drops some incredible defining moments into your path. I pray that you will see how much God loves you. How much He cares for your heart and how this year has looked and felt different than any other year of your life.

Know that God has great redemption and freedom for you and your life. I know this from personal experience. His love goes above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine.

Praying for you,

Jenn

PS. Keep your eyes and ears open for the release of my new book: Hope Breaks Through: Discovering God’s Signs in Your Life. It can be a self-directed or a 30 day journey to uncover personal signs from God for healing, direction and transformation. Details for book purchases will be available here: in Resources & Updates.