From Autopilot to Slingshot
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
(1 Samuel 17:50)
One of the best writers on Spirituality is Henri Nouwen, and I love his words. In one of his writings, he says, “Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” Later, J.W. Bertolotti responds to the quote, stating, “The same is true for leading a life-we must choose to walk the path each day.” When we live on autopilot, responding to unnecessary challenges diminishes joy. When we hand over control of our lives to whoever screams the loudest, joy is replaced with the big three: Fear, Guilt, and Shame.
In “Three Subtle Ways to Avoid Leading a Life of Quiet Desperation,” J.W. Bertolotti helps us face “Fear, Guilt, and Shame” to reclaim joy. Bertolotti reminds us of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s belief that “courage is required for whatever we do.” Anything meaningful we do in life is challenging, which means there is potential for failure. The only thing worse than fear is guilt. Guilt hurts worse because it implies failure. Guilt is a gift when it leads us to act more faithfully. Guilt becomes a curse when it leads to self-rejection.
Finally, Bertolotti addresses the worst joy killer, “Shame.” He quotes Dr. Kelly Flanagan’s book Loveable, “Shame is simply the belief we are not enough.” God did not create us to be joyless failures. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God provides the way through Fear, Guilt, and Shame. The way to joy is by taking responsibility for our lives. Our choices and purpose are ours to embrace or ignore. The choice is ours.
Today, consider your life. Where is the joy in our life? Where have fear, guilt, and shame interfered with your joy? When we name our thoughts and emotions, we take back control. Once we recognize our challenges, courage should take over. Like David picking up his slingshot before the giant Goliath, we take back our joy and hand back the fear, guilt, and shame. Today, we accept the divine nerve to reclaim our lives and choose to let God guide us rather than the loudest person in our midst. Turn off your emotional autopilot and affirm who God created you to be in this world. You might just slay your Goliath.