Beautiful in God’s Eyes: Who YOU Are in HimSample

You Are Free

God used the support of the local church and a loving sponsor to show Kiwi just how much he loves her. He set Kiwi free from poverty and the devastation that comes with it.

Now an adult, Kiwi is a Compassion sponsor, working to release more children from poverty. She’s also an accomplished physical therapist and travels around the country, sharing her beautiful testimony with others.

As a child, Kiwi was held captive by the chains of poverty. She suffered extreme hunger and poor living conditions, among other challenges. However, the Bible says that God “takes up the case” of the poor (Proverbs 22:23, NIV), and that’s exactly what he did for Kiwi.

Through the local church and a loving sponsor, God freed Kiwi from the chains of poverty. She received food, medical care, and an education. She went to college and chased her dreams.

But most importantly, she found ultimate freedom by experiencing the love and hope of Jesus. And just like Kiwi, you’re free from the brokenness of this world too.

As we’ve learned in the past five days, this world is broken, sinful, and fallen. Because of this fact, we will go through challenges and suffering. But remember John 16:33 (NIV): “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Through his death and resurrection, Jesus overcame the world and all the brokenness that exists within it. And because he lives within us, we too are overcomers.

In Romans 8, we read that we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37, NIV). And as conquerors, we’re no longer bound by the circumstances that life throws our way.

We don’t have to live defeated. Instead, we can live in the victory and freedom we have in Jesus!

Maybe you’re feeling bound by your own circumstances: loss of a job, family disagreements, sickness. Or maybe you’re bound by circumstances often only felt like anxiety, fear, confusion, pain.

Know that no matter what comes your way, in Jesus, you have freedom. So much freedom!

• In the midst of frightening circumstances, you’re free to have peace (John 14:27, NIV).
• When worry threatens to overtake you, you’re free to place your anxieties on him (1 Peter 5:7, NIV).
• If you lose everything you have, you’re free to trust him to supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19, NIV).
• When feelings of guilt and shame creep in, you’re free to believe there’s no condemnation in him (Romans 8:1, NIV).
• Instead of accepting sin and death, you’re free to accept salvation (John 3:16, 17, NIV).

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” — John 8:36, NIV

Although the circumstances that surround you may say otherwise, you were called to be free (Galatians 5:13, NIV)!

In the words of Kiwi to her own sponsored child, Karla, “Even though you may have been born into poverty, poverty was not born into you.” Brokenness was not Kiwi’s identity. It’s not her sponsored child Karla’s identity. And it’s not yours.

You are beautiful. Valuable. Whole. Seen. Free.