By Douglas V. Gibbs
We live in an age of excuses. We no longer take responsibility for our actions. We’re too busy blaming God who we may or may not believe exists, or our parents, our government, and our surroundings for the consequences of decisions we made ourselves, or our lack of action when action was needed.
The drama and trauma in our lives are only those things because that’s what we’ve decided they are. We complain about what we can’t control, but rather than take care of the things we do have control over, we complain that it’s not fair or somebody else messed it up for us. Others then buy the argument that perhaps we are just too damaged to take responsibility. It’s easy to either blame ourselves for everything or shift blame entirely on others.
We’ve all had terrible things happen in our lives. We’ve all made bad decisions. We’ve all been at a place that we don’t wish to be in. But those experiences are impactful based on how we view them. Are we going to be bitter and allow them to beat us down, or will we learn from those experiences and become stronger as a result? While trying to heal or make peace, how about we change our course so that those things don’t happen to us again?
Who cares what caused the problem if it’s something out of our control? Take control of what we can control and seek solutions through those avenues we have control over. Victims are victims because they decide to be victims. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.”
The only savior out there is Jesus Christ, and while we can put it all in His capable hands, Congressman Gohmert from Texas once wisely said, “Putting it in God’s Hands does not mean leaning on the shovel and waiting for the hole to dig itself.” So, while we have a Savior, He’s not necessarily waiting in the wings to save the day. We have to take action, or as I like to say, “We need to put some legs on those prayers.” And the big reality is that there definitely are no human saviors out there waiting to bail you out. Even if you thought there was, they likely can’t save you anyway, or they don’t care – they have, after all, their own problems. And even if someone did pull you out of whatever crisis you are wallowing in, if you don’t change your perspective and habits, you will wind up back in the same miserable situation. Improving your situation requires you improving yourself, which brings us back to the beginning: We need to lean into our Faith, Be in the Word, take responsibility for our actions, stop blaming others for our problems, and take charge and take care of what we have control over.
If you disagree, you probably have a long line of excuses to explain why. And that, my friend, is likely your problem. Taking responsibility isn’t easy, but it’s the path to genuine freedom and growth. It’s time to stop blaming and start building the life you want.
— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
