Staying free

Healing isn’t just about being set free—it’s about learning to live free. It is not hard to imagine that, after the culmination of liberating restoration, there also comes the question: what now and how next? I can also imagine that Mary Magdalene could tell us a thing or two about that. About how staying free is a matter of truly surrendering daily, consciously choosing the light, and deliberately letting Jesus reshape your whole life.

Galatians 5:1 reminds us that Christ set us free… just for the goal of freedom itself. But it comes with a responsibility: to stand firm and to not let ourselves ‘be burdened again by a yoke of slavery’—the opposite of freedom. Healing is a beginning, but transformation is a journey. Staying free is a continuous task.

Even when you’ve experienced freedom, it’s tempting to slip back into old patterns when life gets hard. But we can follow in Mary Magdalene’s footsteps, by staying close to Jesus! This helps us resist that drift. Romans 12:2 speaks of being transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means replacing lies with truth, fear with trust, and despair with hope. Staying free isn’t just willpower—it’s worship, every day.

Also, freedom doesn’t mean you’ll never struggle again. Even Mary Magdalene likely faced reminders of her past. But those memories became markers of God’s grace, not chains of shame. To me, this is very helpful. It puts these memories and thoughts in a different light. No more lingering on past wounds, but moving forward with healed scars. And yes, scars will be there--but first and foremost as signs of recovery

So how do we stay free? By staying filled—with Scripture, with community, with prayer, and with Jesus. An empty soul is vulnerable, but a full one overflows. Jesus wants more than your past—He wants your present and your future. Mary Magdalene’s life became a living testimony of what happens when freedom is nurtured by faith and a deep longing for staying close to the source of light: Jesus himself.

What helps you stay rooted in the freedom Jesus gives?