"But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator."
~ Colossians 3:8-10
We have been endowed with so many gifts by our loving Creator.
One of those many gifts is an internal posture of empowerment in decision making, in the power of choice.
I've been contemplating a great deal, several variations on this theme.
Predominant seems to be the impact of external circumstance and what we might do with and about it on the inside.
In this conversation, I considered circumstance which is less than favorable, but I suppose it's an excellent thing to be mindful of and intentional with, always.
There's the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, "A woman is like a tea bag, you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water." Though I suppose the thought applies to any human.
There's the fable about the carrot, the egg, and the coffee bean. I have no idea where the story comes from, the details in my mind are a bit fuzzy, but if memory serves...
All three are put on to boil.
The carrot goes to mush.
The egg goes hard.
But, the coffee influences the environment in which it finds itself, makes it delicious and fragrant and wonderful.
The question being, which are we? When we find ourselves in hot water, do we go soft, do we harden our hearts, or do we remain faithfully constant in the person the Creator created us to be, and influence the world around us in wonderful ways?
It's a question worth asking, and a powerful illustration.
The other context this rabbit warren of thought brought to mind is the contrast between post traumatic stress and post traumatic growth.
(Clinical issues aside, of course.)
We stand in a precarious but powerful place on the heels of everything from inconvenience to true trauma.
Any such given moment can lead us down a path of destruction, minor to major, or down a path to growth, expansion, mastery of self, and personal evolution.
What extraordinary choice.
Naturally, my wont is to be a good strong tea, a nicely brewed coffee, and/or exemplary of post traumatic growth in moments all along the scale.
If I'm being honest, there are plenty of times I have failed, sometimes even abysmally, but the key is to be aware of the choice.
When we know we have that power, we then have the ability to create the space to make the choice that grants us access to internal evolution and bringing us to another level in life.
Methinks it may fundamentally even have a little something to do with taking every thought captive, of allowing the Spirit to guide our hearts and choices, don't you?
Okay, y'all. Just a little food for thought.
Awareness. Choice. Combined, an access to a whole other quality of life and living and impact in the world.
May we all grow in our capacity to make powerful, honoring, upleveling choices, moment by moment.
Rather than finish with my own words today, I thought perhaps I'd borrow two prayers from The Book of Common Prayer, which together seem to fit the bill delightfully.
"O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble..."
Almighty and everlasting God, you made the universe with all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and the infinite complexity of living creatures: Grant that, as we probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know
you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your eternal purpose; in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
"Brothers, stop thinking like children... in your thinking be mature." ~ 1 Corinthians 14:20
"The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand." ~ Psalm 37:23-24
"The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." ~ Galatians 6:8
May the Good Lord bless you and keep you, friends... always, in all ways. Amen.
Bonus song of praise... ♥
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