Post 4: choices
November 24, 2023
Have you ever thought about the fact that we can literally make any choice that we want? The concept of choosing is weird and the idea of making choices keeps popping up in different parts of my life. Probably because I’m becoming more cognizant of the fact that I am actually able to make good choices and I am learning to trust myself again.
I’ve decided that subversion of your psyche (that we inadvertently consent to) causes at least 2 things to happen: we lose trust in our decision making abilities when our input is never asked for—directly insinuating our thought is not valuable. And, once we are removed from the situation, we doubt our ability to make decisions, because why would we have ever chosen to stay in a situation engrossed in manipulation? More on this later.
I have two examples of choices recently and how they can change your life.
Example 1: A friend asked me if I totally gorge myself on Thanksgiving or if I lay low. I responded that I don’t throw myself into a total food coma, but I definitely eat too much and am always left feeling way stuffed (first world problem, I’m aware). I had been anxiously thinking all week about how I would fast a bit in the morning, then start slow and be able to save my appetite for the main meal, and then drink some wine, and then probably not feel great afterward. I was preparing myself to willingly make myself feel bad. Like…what!? It was revolutionary to realize that I didn’t have to do this. So bizarre.
Example 2: A book I am reading (which a friend blessed me with) talks about making a choice to be hopeful in the midst of a hopeless situation. This was weird to me…I thought the stars had to align, my heart needed to be 100% healed, and I had to feel “ready” to be able to initiate a hope-centered mindset, no? NO. The author’s point is this: your ability to heal cannot depend on anyone else’s choices but your own; your ability to heal cannot be conditional on them. “What we look for is what we see. What we see determines our perspective. And our perspective becomes our reality.” (Lysa Terkeurst).
A thought on suffering and finding hope: Romans 5: 2-4; “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE.” AMEN.
CHOOSE to eat the blueberry pancakes (see Post 2).
If you want to run everyday, you can run everyday.
If you want to grow in your faith and do more Bible study, you can do that.
We can make the choice to stop harmonizing with dysfunction—although this is sad to say, this concept has been revolutionary for me.
On a more serious note—we cannot change the experiences we’ve endured, but we can CHOOSE how those experiences change us.
When life feels hopeless, look for hope in Jesus. Ask God to change your perspective. If you are healing from something, no matter how big or small, a new and hope-filled perspective is possible, you just have to choose to see it.
A first step in not feeling so alone in this journey is to invite God into your heart and mind and ask Him to change your perspective. Just try it.
whyiscchappy? God-given free will.