Before delving into the realm of personal development and apologetics, which involves presenting and defending the Christian faith, let’s revisit the concept of liturgy by continuing our quote from Justin Early:

« All these liturgies of false beliefs were formative in my anxiety, but the last one on the list is particularly dangerous: the liturgy of freedom. Why is the liturgy of freedom so dangerous? Because it accentuates the slavery of all the other habits – ironically. All these liturgies of false beliefs were formative in my anxiety, but the last one on the list is particularly dangerous: the liturgy of freedom.

The liturgy of freedom is dangerous for two reasons. First, it doesn’t actually produce freedom. We think that by rejecting all limits on our habits, we remain free to choose. In reality, bombarding ourselves with choices exhausts us to the point where we are incapable of making good choices. As we become too tired to make good decisions, we are highly likely to let other people – from manipulative bosses to invisible smartphone programmers – make decisions for us. The stubborn pursuit of this kind of freedom always collapses into slavery, leading us to the second reason why the liturgy of freedom is dangerous.

The second reason is that it blinds us to what the good life really is. When we practice the liturgy of freedom as « limitless, never-ending, » we assume that the good life comes from the freedom to do whatever we want. Thus, to ensure the good life, we must secure our ability to choose at every moment. But what if the good life doesn’t come from the ability to do what we want, but from the ability to do what we are made for? What if true freedom lies in choosing the right limits, rather than avoiding all limits?

In hindsight, that night at the restaurant with my friends, sketching out a habit plan, was such an important moment because I finally let go of the key habit of freedom. I decided that limits were a better way of living, and that’s when everything changed. I had lived my whole life thinking that all limits destroyed freedom, when in fact the opposite was true: the right limit creates freedom.

This realization didn’t happen overnight, but as life started to change, I began to wonder why letting go of the liturgy of freedom and embracing limits was so difficult for me and for Americans [English speakers] in general. I started to ponder how we came to believe such a bizarre definition of freedom, and whether there were living examples of a better freedom.

I found the answer in the life of Jesus. »1

Having frames, really?

Our modern society does not like the concept of boundaries because it does not understand how liberating they can be. In fact, the purpose of laws is generally to provide a framework for living together in peace and joy. Without these laws, a country would descend into complete anarchy. Let’s take a few examples. When I was a child, my parents set boundaries at home: no playing on the computer except at a specific time each week. Of course, when I was young, these boundaries sometimes frustrated me, but now I see how they allowed me to thrive and grow. Another boundary I had was attending church every Sunday, even when I didn’t always feel like getting up. If my parents had let me choose, claiming to give me freedom, I think I would have gradually drifted away from the church because I didn’t find friends there. This boundary allowed me to discover true freedom in Christ.

I hope you understand that there is no neutrality in our choices: they either draw us closer to Christ or push us further away. When we allow the children in our churches to skip church, claiming to give them a « freedom of worship, » we actually encourage them to drift away from Christ. Of course, we need to approach the issue with tact and explain to them why it’s important and show them the joy that worship brings us. But once we establish this habit, along with others, our family will be transformed into the likeness of Christ.

I cannot discuss the freedom of boundaries without briefly mentioning the boundary of marriage for sexuality. We will address several of these taboo subjects in the coming months, seeking to understand various objections and responding to them with gentleness. In this paragraph, I simply wanted to highlight that when the Bible teaches that sexuality is to be reserved for a man and a woman within the framework of marriage, it is not seeking to oppress us with commandments but rather to provide a framework that allows us to experience true freedom. We often rebel against these boundaries, but in many cases, it’s because we don’t realize how life-giving they are. May we be like the psalmist who says, « If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life… Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation… How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! » (Psalm 119:92-103).

1 Justin Earley, The Common Rule, Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction, (trad. Deeple), Intervarsity press, Illinois, 2019, p.10-12, translated via internet.