When I'm at the gym, I tend to either listen to Pandora or watch Hulu, depending on what I'm doing. If I'm lifting weights, it's Pandora; if I'm doing cardio, I watch Hulu. It helps the workout go by a little faster, and I can focus on the lyrics or dialogue instead of on my labored breathing or aching muscles.
Just the other day, I was watching an episode of a show called "Awkward", which is just as the title implies: about a group of friends and awkward situations they find themselves in. It's almost like a mini-soap opera.
Anyway, as I am finishing up my workout, right before the credits roll, one of the characters said something very profound:
"As much as I want to tell you not to go because it's what I want, I'm not. Instead, I'm just going to say this: don't do this for him. Don't do this for me. Do this for you. Do what's right for you. Choose yourself."
And black.
Hearing this from such a soap-operay type of show was quite strange, because it was actually very deep. And it made me think back to a time when I had to make a difficult decision to choose myself, to do what's right for me instead of what everyone was telling me to do.
I got some flak for my decision, but if those people who didn't support me then could see me now, they'd know just how wonderful of a decision it was. I'm so much happier; I'm in a better place physically, emotionally and definitely spiritually.
So here's my addition to that quote:
Don't let anybody make decisions for you. Figure out what you want for your life, pray about it and ask for discernment on where He wants you to go, and forge ahead. Sometimes it'll be terrifying (trust me on this), but God has great plans for you.
As people, we so often want to ask other people's opinions on what we should do. But you know something? They aren't the ones who have to deal with the circumstances of that decision. They aren't the ones who have to handle the repercussions if we choose something they want for us instead of us choosing what's best for ourselves.
Don't get me wrong: I definitely believe in asking for opinions or guidance. But I don't believe that we should base all of our decisions on what someone else says. Sometimes we will receive guidance leading one way, when in our hearts we know we're supposed to be heading down a completely different path.
Sometimes we may have to blaze a trail that's never been blazed before. Sometimes, we have to step out in faith in our God that He has called us to do something bigger, greater, more amazing than we could ever even consider, and that, because He has called us to it, He will help us blaze that trail.
In times of doubt and intimidation, we need to remember Jeremiah 29:11 NIV: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"
God wants us to choose Him first and foremost, and part of that includes choosing ourselves. We have to listen to His guidance and choose for ourselves where we believe He is calling us to, not where everybody else is telling us we're supposed to be.
This can be difficult in today's society, where everybody has an opinion on everything and one miss-step can paint you in a bad light. But we have to remember that just because someone has an opinion on something doesn't necessarily mean it's true.
The only thing we can truly rely on is God's direction; He will never lead us astray. And honestly, I'd much rather be concerned with God's opinion of me and my life than anybody else's opinion.
So, I say again: choose yourself. Listen to God, and base your personal decisions on where He is guiding you, instead of what someone else wants for you.
Choose God, then choose yourself based on His direction.
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