I realize that this won't apply in every situation or everyone's circumstance. I know that every situation is different and in some instances you are taking your power back. This post is about situations other than those!
A lot of times we let hard feelings get in our way and we make decisions based on those feelings. In the process we lose friendships, churches, and anything else you can insert here. We tend to give our power away to others without even realizing we are doing it. We tend to think that we have the power, but in fact we are handing it over to someone else.
For example, in friendship we can let grudges or hurt feelings dictate how we are going to treat someone. Even when, or if, we will ever talk to them again. It's in this situation where we seem to think we are holding all of the cards, but in fact we aren't. We think since we are choosing to not talk to them anymore and to hold onto that grudge that we have all the power. It's in that moment you are giving away your power to that person when you let them decide when and how you will act. True friendship is hard enough to find so we should hold onto it with both hands.
Another area where I have seen this all too often is in some churches. Just today I heard that in a survey about every 5 years or so a 1/3 of the membership will leave a church. Some areas it is as low as 2 years. That is pretty astonishing. It is so easy to get feelings hurt and then leave. Once again, you are giving your power away to whomever hurt you. You are allowing them to decide where you go to church and where you don't. In this mornings devotional at church, which my awesome Dad leads, he spoke of how no one is perfect and how you will never find a perfect church. If you do find a perfect church, do not join it because then it will become imperfect!
This applies to places you shop and even places you eat. You might tell yourself that Joe Bob works there so I will never shop there! Or, Mary Jane is a waitress at that restaurant so we will never eat there again. Joe Bob and Mary Jane don't know how lucky they are, you just gave them your power! You may think it is extreme, but when you look at it you can see what I mean. Too many times we let the actions of others dictate how we act.
Think about situations you are in. Who really has the power? Are you giving your power away and may not even know it?
In Luke 18:27 it says, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." Whatever situation you feel is impossible, with God it isn't. You know what better way to "get back" at your enemy? Pray for them.
Question Of The Week: Are you giving your power away?
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