John 8:31–38

John 8:31-38 - Daily Devotion - 22 April 2026 St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park 31 So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33 “We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered. “We have never been slaves to anyone. How can You say we will be set free?”34 Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.37 I know you are Abraham’s descendants, but you are trying to kill Me because My word has no place within you. 38 I speak of what I have seen in the presence of the Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”REFLECTIONSWritten by Rebecca MihasAs I read this passage, I felt both comforted and gently challenged. It’s easy to think that because I believe in Jesus, I must already be living in full freedom, but His words invite me to look deeper.There was a time in my walk with Christ where I felt completely chained by disappointment, sadness, and a sense that I couldn’t move forward. Even though I believed, I felt stuck. What carried me through wasn’t having all the answers, it was holding onto prayer and continuing in His word. Day by day, I chose to stay close to Him, even when I didn’t feel free. I didn’t rely on anything else to get me through that time. I leaned into Jesus for healing and trusted that He is the one who really does set us free.That’s why His words here mean so much to me now: “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” There is something so powerful about simply staying, remaining in Him.And the promise is full of hope: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Not partially free, but truly free! This passage reminds me that even in seasons where we feel stuck, Jesus is gently leading us into real and lasting freedom. ABOUT THE AUTHORRebecca is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.