Prov. 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Everything in life is a result of the choices you made. If you want different results, make different choices.
I was at the doctor’s office this week for my yearly physical. One of the things that came up was the great progress I had made with the health of my heart that misses a beat. One of the clinic nurses asked me how I had come so far from the mess I was in four years ago to the healthy place I am right now. I said, “The first thing I had to do was take full responsibility for damaging my heart and for treating it like third class baggage. I caused the problem with the poor life choices that I had made. If there was going to be a fix, I had to make sure I did not point fingers at anyone but myself. I caused it; therefore, it was up to me to be a major participant in the healing of it.”
It would be easy to point my finger at all the processed, nitrate filled, sugar-packed and GMO products that have become commonplace in our food system. I could point and blame the easy accessibility of drive-thru convenience every time my fat cells screamed for attention. I could make up excuses for shoving all the rubbish down my throat because of the stress I had put myself under.
Then, I could keep making up excuses on a regular basis as to why I can’t exercise because of the business in my so-called important life. Yup, I could head in that direction of blame and finger-pointing. However, the truth would still be that I had willfully made all those choices and the result was heart disease that I caused through my choices. Gal. 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
I find it interesting that people who made the choice to smoke cigarettes are now pointing their fingers and suing the companies that fulfilled their desire to smoke. People who consume gallons of soft drinks are complaining and pointing fingers at the pop companies for their ailments of obesity and diabetes. Rehab for every imaginable problem is available for people who have become perpetual victims of circumstance, while taking no responsibility whatsoever for their own choices. Endemic finger-pointing has become a national pastime.
The first step to recovery of any kind is to admit there is a problem in the first place. Recovery means taking responsibility for the problem you caused in your own life. Admit it, confess it, then you are finally in a position to get rid of it. James 5:16a Therefore, confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.
Then, I could keep making up excuses on a regular basis as to why I can’t exercise because of the business in my so-called important life. Yup, I could head in that direction of blame and finger-pointing. However, the truth would still be that I had willfully made all those choices and the result was heart disease that I caused through my choices. Gal. 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.
I find it interesting that people who made the choice to smoke cigarettes are now pointing their fingers and suing the companies that fulfilled their desire to smoke. People who consume gallons of soft drinks are complaining and pointing fingers at the pop companies for their ailments of obesity and diabetes. Rehab for every imaginable problem is available for people who have become perpetual victims of circumstance, while taking no responsibility whatsoever for their own choices. Endemic finger-pointing has become a national pastime.
The first step to recovery of any kind is to admit there is a problem in the first place. Recovery means taking responsibility for the problem you caused in your own life. Admit it, confess it, then you are finally in a position to get rid of it. James 5:16a Therefore, confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.
I remember when I made the choice to eat real food, only after I had taken responsibility for the poor health I was in. Was it easy? No! Good and real food preparation is really inconvenient but too bad, it had to be done. I remember the struggle of getting into regular exercise and sticking to it every day. Was it easy? Absolutely not! But too bad, it had to be done. Prov. 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The finger pointing stops here.
I do not know who or what you have been blaming for all your woes in life, but it has got to stop just for the sake of sanity. In most cases, your boss is not your problem. The teacher is not your child’s problem. Your spouse is not your problem. Stop pointing the finger and realize that most likely you are your own problem. Our prayer should be, “Lord, fix me.”
I do not know who or what you have been blaming for all your woes in life, but it has got to stop just for the sake of sanity. In most cases, your boss is not your problem. The teacher is not your child’s problem. Your spouse is not your problem. Stop pointing the finger and realize that most likely you are your own problem. Our prayer should be, “Lord, fix me.”
Take responsibility for the choices you have made and make new choices to change the course of your life. You will need God’s help to do it, and He is right there waiting for you to ask Him for that help. Psalm 46:1 God is our strong refuge; he is truly our helper in times of trouble.
I’m not sure why endemic finger-pointing has become a default setting in our thinking. But as for me, I have got to constantly look at my own actions to make sure I am walking the walk God put before me. When I stand before God on that great day, I will be standing alone and none of the people or reasons for blame will be there to point at. Since this is the case, I may as well learn to take responsibility now and live in the peace God instructs me to live in through His word now. Time to man-up. Blessings and God’s ability be in and on you. Amen.
I’m not sure why endemic finger-pointing has become a default setting in our thinking. But as for me, I have got to constantly look at my own actions to make sure I am walking the walk God put before me. When I stand before God on that great day, I will be standing alone and none of the people or reasons for blame will be there to point at. Since this is the case, I may as well learn to take responsibility now and live in the peace God instructs me to live in through His word now. Time to man-up. Blessings and God’s ability be in and on you. Amen.
Absolutely Excellent and true to the core of this message.
I think you and I preach the same thing.