Skip to main content

"The older we are, the more responsible we are for our situation."

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2012-10-02) from his book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live them and Reach Your Potential (p. 164). Center Street. Kindle Edition.

I listen to people almost every day tell me why they are in the situation they are in and a big part of it is because of something else not them.  They play the blame game.
.
Now if I am young and still at home and I don’t have a lot of control over my life then I am not totally responsible for where I am but if I am 65+ which I am, I can’t blame anyone else but me.  I am responsible for my life.  You see for the most part in my life I am where I am because of the choices I have made.

Someone said, “It’s my wife’s fault” but you chose to marry her.  “But it’s my boss, it’s his fault.  He’s holding me back.”  But you were not forced to work for him or to continue to work for him.

Now granted there are some things that are beyond our control but our attitude toward them is our choice and our responsibility.  Understand, you are only a victim if you choose to be a victim.

I am reading in my morning quiet time the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome.  Now Paul wrote this very important book of Roman in the New Testament while He was in prison.  He did choose to be an extreme follower of Christ which was the reason he was in prison but he also took responsibility to make a difference even in prison.  He wrote a big portion of the New Testament while there.  He didn’t waste time blaming his enemies and playing the victim card.  No, he set out to make a difference where he was.

John Maxwell here also says, “If you are merely average or if you are no closer to your dream this year than you were last year, you can choose to accept it, defend it, cover it up, and explain it away. Or you can choose to change it, grow from it, and forge a new path.”  It is our choice.

So how are you doing?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because G...

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Je...