Are you a victim of life?
Are you a passive observer of what life throws at you? Or do you make life happen with boldness? The answer reveals what you believe about God, yourself, and the world.
I had a conversation with a friend yesterday evening that caused me to reflect on the topic.
I told her, "either you passively wait for life to happen to you, or you make life happen for yourself."
She was shocked and clearly mind-blown.
It wasn't a new concept for me, but her response made me realize I'd taken it for granted, and that many still live without that understanding.
We are not a victim of circumstances, we are overcomers. Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
As a life coach and minister, my desire is to see children of God fully embrace and express everything He put inside of them (all in the right timing, of course).
But some of us don't even realize God wants that for us, and may not believe living that way is an option.
The cultural phrases that so easily slip out of mouths, like, "if God wills it," sounds spiritual, but are sometimes actually deceptions.
We can exchange our dreams and inspirations for easy phrases that cover up a hopeless and disempowered heart.
It is right that only God's will is going to prevail, and we should submit all of our plans to Him. We should be completely surrendered to Him. We should not boast about what we plan to do tomorrow (James 4:13-17).
But we are also not orphans. We are His adopted sons and daughters (Ephesians 1:5). He wants to celebrate with us when we fulfill a goal, like a father rejoicing over a child bringing home a gold star on a homework assignment (Zephaniah 3:17).
1 Corinthians 2:9 "But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”"
Do we really believe He's that good? That He loves us so? That He wants us to be free?
We must. Or we risk missing out on the greatness and depth He imagined for us. And depriving those around us of the benefit of our gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7).