Would You Want to Know?
I’m always fascinated to think about certain events/relationships/emotions and how if we knew they were coming, how would we live differently? If I knew that my grandpa died today, would I then have called him yesterday, instead of being lazy about it and not doing anything? If I knew I was going to lose my job, would I work at it any differently today? Or would I give up and just goof off at work instead? Suppose I knew I was going to get married someday, how would I be living my life differently at this moment? Or would I be? Should I be?
And yet, I am glad I don’t know what is just around the corner. I’m thrilled that I get to wake up to a new day full of its own potential, and with the challenge and opportunity to live it to its fullest, embracing the things that arise instead of knowing what is going to happen when. Otherwise, knowing me, I will try to control all the moments leading up to these events I know about. But for me, growth and forward motion happen when I risk, not when I protect. When I embrace each day instead of controlling each day. So while I struggle with this sometimes, I’d rather be living in this ‘place’ and stretching myself every day versus living with the knowledge of the future.
I also like the possibilities and the questions – I always loved the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books because the outcome was determined by the choice you made instead of existing only one pre-determined outcome. I believe I’d rather live my life that way: with options. I want the choice to choose right and to choose wrong. I want the opportunity to make mistakes and to also make great decisions – we learn much through both scenarios. More than anything, I want the choice to love and to accept love. Sometimes I’m not strong in this area – I forget I have more control over certain things than I think. Jeff talked about this at church yesterday – when it comes to greed, anger, finances, etc. we have more self-control over these areas than we sometimes like to believe. True, we can’t do it alone. We need God with us. But he also won’t do it without us. I like living in that place – I like that I 100% need God for any amount of strength, but that he also holds me accountable to being a part of the journey and the growth.
Grace and peace to you.
-Melinda
And yet, I am glad I don’t know what is just around the corner. I’m thrilled that I get to wake up to a new day full of its own potential, and with the challenge and opportunity to live it to its fullest, embracing the things that arise instead of knowing what is going to happen when. Otherwise, knowing me, I will try to control all the moments leading up to these events I know about. But for me, growth and forward motion happen when I risk, not when I protect. When I embrace each day instead of controlling each day. So while I struggle with this sometimes, I’d rather be living in this ‘place’ and stretching myself every day versus living with the knowledge of the future.
I also like the possibilities and the questions – I always loved the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books because the outcome was determined by the choice you made instead of existing only one pre-determined outcome. I believe I’d rather live my life that way: with options. I want the choice to choose right and to choose wrong. I want the opportunity to make mistakes and to also make great decisions – we learn much through both scenarios. More than anything, I want the choice to love and to accept love. Sometimes I’m not strong in this area – I forget I have more control over certain things than I think. Jeff talked about this at church yesterday – when it comes to greed, anger, finances, etc. we have more self-control over these areas than we sometimes like to believe. True, we can’t do it alone. We need God with us. But he also won’t do it without us. I like living in that place – I like that I 100% need God for any amount of strength, but that he also holds me accountable to being a part of the journey and the growth.
Grace and peace to you.
-Melinda
posted by Melinda @ 8:48 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home