What is at the Center of Your Life?

Last week, I posed the question: What is at the center of your life? In other words, when you go through turbulent times, what brings you a sense of stability and security? I would suggest that the lack of an adequate center is what causes people to turn to various addictions to cope with great pressure. For me, fifty years ago, I submitted the center of my life to God through Jesus Christ.

Now, let me be clear: I’m not implying that this one-time decision made everything stable, solid, and easy from then on. Far from it. My life has been—and continues to be—a journey of learning to live with Christ at the center.

The Struggle for True Centeredness

I’ve known many Christians (and people who attend church) who still lack a true center in their lives. I’ve seen it too often—lives crumble due to unexpected circumstances they couldn’t overcome. While these individuals may have paid lip service to Jesus as their anchor or center, their true center was often placed in a certain lifestyle, income bracket, or predictable family structure. And when these common, Western cultural centers disintegrated, so did their sense of stability and peace.

Freedom in Christ: A New Testament Theme

A very common theme throughout the entire New Testament is that a relationship with God through Jesus sets us free. Here are a few passages that teach or illustrate the freedom we have in Christ:

Galatians 5:1 "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."

John 8:36 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."

2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Romans 6:22 "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."

Galatians 5:13 "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

1 Corinthians 7:22 "For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ."

Romans 6:18 "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

Ephesians 3:12 "Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence."

Acts 13:38-39 "Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him, everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses."

These passages emphasize the spiritual freedom that comes when Jesus is at the center of our lives—freedom from sin, condemnation, and the burdens of following rules. But they also come with the responsibility to use that freedom to serve God and others in love. Let me suggest: If Christ is truly the center of your life, you will live a life of freedom.

The Paradox of Freedom

However, we both know that many who self-identify as Christians are among the most uptight people you’ll meet. They live lives filled with judgment and bondage, not freedom. To me, this indicates that these individuals haven’t fully grasped the depth of Jesus’ redemption in their lives.

Imagine this scenario:

You’ve been sentenced to life in prison. Every day, you follow a routine, obey strict rules, and are constantly watched by guards. Then, one day, while eating dinner with fellow prisoners, you're suddenly called to the warden’s office. He tells you that your life sentence has been commuted, and you are now free to leave. You thank him profusely, but then return to the cafeteria and continue the same routine you’ve followed for decades.

This illustrates how some followers of Christ find comfort in the rules, routines, and structure—and why they struggle with living the free life offered in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When love is governed by rules, it doesn't produce the kind of freedom in which love can flourish.

True Redemption: Paid in Full

God’s redemption of our lives means that we are finally free from so much of what has kept us apart from Him. The word “redemption” in Jesus’ time was borrowed from the financial world, meaning "paid in full." Through Jesus, our lives have been literally purchased by God to set us free—to become who He created us to be.

What Does Freedom Really Look Like?

Next week, I want to explore what it really means, in concrete terms, to experience freedom by keeping Jesus at the center of our relationships, as the verses above suggest.