Last summer, I wrote an article in the Footsteps to Follow section of the Sun-Gazette entitled “Set Free.” As this article coincided with Independence Day, the message was one of freedom — our freedom as Americans and as children of God. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, went to the cross, saving us from our sins and setting us free to live a life of abundance in the fruits of the spirit. In that article, I shared my testimony experiencing this freedom by seeking and surrendering my will to Jesus. The more I sought Him and surrendered to Him, the closer I came to being set free from the burdens that had weighed me down for so long. When the Holy Spirit convicted my heart to finally lay all those burdens down and walk with freedom in Christ, it was a transformative moment in my faith journey.

After publishing the article, I shared its message with a mentor in my faith journey. As I eagerly shared my testimony of how Christ had set me free, he asked a question I had never considered. “Shelley, did you tell them that although Christ can set us free, we must remain in Him and abide in Him in order to continue experiencing that freedom?” Remain in Him. Abide in Him. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:4-7 NIV).

“Apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus’ words are the antithesis of the culture in which we live today – a culture that idolizes independence. Even in our spiritual lives, we can subtly slip into a mindset of self-reliance, trying to “do better” or “be good enough” on our own strength. But abiding in Christ asks us to rest in Him, to cease striving and trust the finished work of the cross. Galatians 5:1 reminds us: “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.” Abiding helps us stay free. It anchors us in the truth, guards our hearts from lies, and keeps us from falling back into bondage.

What does abiding in Christ look like? It is connecting daily with Christ in prayer. It is learning to trust Him with our worries and desires. We let His Word renew our minds and direct our steps. We follow Him in obedience, not out of fear, but out of love and trust. As members of a faith community, we stay connected with other believers who sharpen and encourage us. Abiding isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like quiet faithfulness, small yeses, and staying when we’d rather run. But in the abiding, there is fruit. Jesus promises in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

As illustrated in John 15:5, being set free through Christ is not the finish line. It is the starting point of a new life — one where we walk daily with the Spirit, rooted in the presence of God. Many believers accept the gift of salvation, only to return to old patterns of striving or spiritual complacency. My pastor illustrated this perfectly in a recent message regarding sin. He described the freedom we can experience when we lay down our sins at the cross, only to pick those same sins up again resulting in further bondage. Thus, abiding requires intentionality. Just as a branch cannot survive apart from the vine, we cannot grow or flourish apart from Jesus. As mentioned previously, abiding means staying connected: through prayer, Scripture, obedience, and surrender.

Freedom in Christ isn’t just about breaking chains; it is about growing roots. When we abide, our spiritual roots grow deep into His love, His truth, and His purposes. That’s where transformation happens — not from the outside in, but from the inside out. If you’ve been set free, praise God! And now abide. Stay close. Keep your heart in His hands. Let your life be a testimony of what happens not just when the chains fall off, but when we choose to walk with the One who set us free.

I will be eternally grateful for the wisdom my mentor shared that day when I eagerly talked about experiencing freedom in Christ. Ironically, I had been struggling to maintain that freedom, and his timely words helped me form the connection: set free -> abide in Me. Indeed, the way we stay free is to stay near to Christ: not independent from Him, but dependent on Him every moment of every day.

Blessings.

Shelley L. Myers,United Campus Ministry coordinator, Pennsylvania College of Technology