Taking Control of You
The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. (Proverbs 16:9)
Generally, people are selfish. To use theological language, we all suffer from sin, and the foundation of sin is selfish desire. Even when we are doing good things, recognition is often needed. So, even when we care for someone, our selfishness tries to mold them into our image rather than the person God desires. Your life is also God’s to mold and refine. Yet, we must take responsibility for our decisions and create the world God wants for us. Recognizing human selfishness helps us not get sidetracked and continue to grow.
In “Some People Don’t Want You To Be The Best Version of Yourself,” Patricia Williams calls us not to fall victim to other people’s selfish expectations. Williams tells us, “While we may not control what others project onto us or what we project onto them, we do have agency over how we respond.” Our selfishness can cause us to blame others for our choices. God calls us to take responsibility for ourselves and our decision-making. We can allow people to control our decision-making or embrace courage and not permit other people’s expectations to mold us.
Evaluating emotions is necessary. Our emotions are worthy, but we must rationally assess our feelings. Emotions can work for or against us, and we must determine if our feelings are helpful or destructive. Likewise, other people can use their emotions to influence us. Other people’s crying, anger, and even affection can be employed to manipulate you. Again, it takes brave wisdom to consider other people’s motivations rationally and decide in the moment what is in our best interest.
Today, affirm yourself by facing the uncomfortable because it leads to becoming who God called you to be. You are an asset to God! You diminish your ability when you mold yourself into the image of family or friends and ignore the image God expects and what you expect from yourself. Further, when you embrace your God-given image, life will feel more comfortable, and you will experience a sense of confidence and calm you will never find trying to please anyone else. Prayerfully ask God for the wisdom and courage to make the hard decisions to help you be the person you and God want you to be.