To a brother in Christ
Dear Brother,
(Responding to your request that I not wear anklets, so as not to hurt the sensitivities of a few.)
I want to thank you for reminding why I distanced myself from the church I grew up in. I loved that being raised in a environment that taught that God is love. He gave us the 10 commandments so that we will live a moral life in an immoral world. Unlike other kids, I cannot claim ignorance of God’s law. I know the difference between sin, transgression and iniquity, and I’m guilty of all three.
I chose to live away from the limelight of being a pastor’s kid. I hated the attention. I knew I was outside of God’s plan, and that weight was heavy on me. I was not a model student either, which allowed me to live under less scrutiny. So, when the opportunity came, I left.
I had willingly moved away from the city where my dearest friends lived. I left behind parents whose love was expressed not through affirmation, but by pointing me toward “model Christians” or publicly praying for my transformation. I distanced myself from the loving company of a praying church, who were really burdened about me and my brothers in all their prayers. The burden of their expectations became too heavy to bear! I simply couldn’t be their model child.
I thank God that He is good and righteous in all His ways — no one can find fault in Him. Even in my rebellion, when I wandered far from Him, He pursued me. And when I believed I had strayed beyond His love, He rescued me! It brings to mind the hymn: “In tenderness He sought me, weary and sick with sin; He whispered to assure me, ‘I’ve found thee, thou art Mine.’” (Isaiah 43:1). For that reminder, I am also grateful to my mother, who fills our home with music and prayer.
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Since then, I have grown to love God’s Word. I have worked in some of the harshest places and seen firsthand the contrast between a culture shaped by God’s law and one led by idols into darkness. My faith was tested in seasons of financial struggle, yet I chose to trust God to provide for my needs. At the hospital where I served in Bihar, I was encouraged to lead singing, teach children, and play the guitar — not because of great talent, but because others graciously gave me the chance to steward what little I had. Through those experiences, I learned to choose God daily, and in time, I have also found someone who treasures His Word at the center of his life.
I am learning to honor my parents, while also being free from the weight of their approval. Christ is teaching me that His grace is enough. Doesn’t scripture remind us that no one is exempt from this struggle, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom 3:23 . Brother, haven’t you too felt the burden of sin so heavily that you wondered if you could ever be saved? Haven’t you prayed and fasted, pleading with God to cleanse your thoughts and words, only to stumble again —
“I am certain that God, who began the good work within me, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philipians 1:6
“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” Corinthians 15:57
The Bible overflows with reminders that the victory is already won. Christ has broken sin, bondage, and death — we simply receive it by faith, letting His Spirit transform our choices day by day.
“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). If Christ has set us free, then no outward thing — our hair, our jewelry, our clothing — can take away the freedom He purchased with His blood. I hope that we can keep pointing weary souls, not to added rules, but to the grace that truly sets us free.
sincerely,
Soul set free.
