Alive - by Dave Smith

Whether it be William Wallace (Mel Gibson in Braveheart)
passionately crying ‘Freedom’ or Nelson Mandela’s painstakingly
detailed account of his Long Walk to Freedom, 1 freedom is one of
the central longings of the human heart. So much so that many have
made it their life mission to free others from different forms of
oppression – whether it be modern-day slavery, racial injustice,
domestic abuse, extreme poverty or institutional corruption. These
freedom movements are all extremely important. There is, however, a
universal need for freedom that impacts every single one of us,
whatever our domestic, cultural, socio-economic or political
circumstances: it’s the need be free on the inside.
So, let me start by asking you some questions:
• Do you need to be freed from a sense of frustration concerning
your present work or role in life?
• Do you need to be freed from a sense of failure concerning things
that have happened in your past?
• Do you need to be freed from a sense of futility concerning what
lies ahead in your future?
History is full of people who have overcome frustration, failure and
futility to achieve their life’s mission. Here’s a list of the frustration and
failure one famous historical (American) figure faced (can you guess
who it was?):
• Lost their job in 1832.
• Defeated for state legislature in 1832.
• Failed in business in 1833.
• Elected to state legislature in 1834.