"Do external happenings in your life change your attitude for long periods of time, happy or sad?"
"Did your team win and does that make you happy?" "Do you find your identity by how your team does?"
If you let anything change your attitude for an extended period of time, you have allowed yourself to be in bondage to it. I'll say it in different words, If you are unhappy, it's your own doing.
Try this simple exercise... take an inventory of anything you usually attach the word 'I' or 'my', or some other variable. Things like... my car, my spouse, my house, my bank account, my team, my reputation. Did you know that one day you'll have to let those things go? Did you know they aren't really yours and those things really don't identify you? What's left about you when you remove all those tangible 'things'? If those things do identify you, your destined to be controlled by them.
Recently, I faced a situation, which I'll write in more detail, hopefully soon. This situation required I ask a panel of peers to give me certain 'rights' and 'privileges' that I didn't presently have. This process gave me cause to reflect on my true motivation in this situation. Even though small, in the final days leading to the meeting with the panel, I discovered I had allowed myself to be in bondage based on their decision. I thought "how foolish" I was to allow myself to give my present state of being in exchange for a silly 'legal' proceeding. I actually laughed to myself and sort of chuckled. The same could be true for you, in a relationship, or anything else you attach 'I' or 'my' too.
Try being honest if you find yourself being tossed around by life's waves. Get it out in the open; let the Light shine on it. Admit it to yourself. Get it in your mind what you are allowing to control you. As you do this, you'll find a remarkable, and empowering sense come over you. You may find a desire within yourself to 'confess' to a friend, brother or sister. You may even want to write me and tell me what's going on. It's actually a very empowering thing to admit something that is presently tossing you around... Why is it so empowering? As it happens, you take the sting out of it. You are actually 'finding yourself' by process of elimination.
Confessing, or telling the truth about what's happening will bring you great joy because you are living in your present moment. This brings great joy because it removes the stress from striving to be something you aren't, or trying to 'look' like something you're not. When it's just a show, you have to maintain it. When it's real, it just is.
When I faced the panel, I had purposed in my heart that it really didn't matter what they decided. In fact, it was true that I really didn't give a d$#@. Remember 'Red', in the movie, Shawshank Redemption? He came up for parole many times over the many years of his incarceration- "Parole Denied" time and time again. Finally, he came to a place in his existence that he stopped trying to control the outcome of the parole board. He went before the panel and simply stated his heart. He said he didn't give a d$%# what they decided and they should do whatever they wanted- "Parole Granted".
When we try to change the outcome of our lives, we are going against the flow God has for our ordered steps. Relax and simply 'be' where you are. It's easier said than done, but if you want to 'hold hands' while I do it too, I'll be glad to meet with you for some quality time, and we'll go through this together. In fact, there are several of us who have met for many years, and we'd love to get to know you. You are very welcome here.
I AM, David
view this blog and many more at http://davidnroberts.blogspot.com/ or http://restorationhouse.com/
