Don't Let Life "Just Happen"

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." James 1 5-8 (ESV) 

Have you ever looked at where you are in life verses where you want to be, and given yourself the excuse that life just happens? Better yet, have your parents or loved ones ever said, “Stuff happens and plans change?” If you have, I can almost bet that, to some degree, you have found yourself feeling like a wave in the ocean that is tossed whichever direction the wind blows. This state of being poses a threat to how we live our lives. What sets man apart from the rest of nature, is the God given gift of wisdom. In other words, it is our ability to understand how and why things happen and apply that to how we live.

It is this gift that gives us authority over our own lives. To no longer blame others, or chance, but rather take responsibility empowers us to create, build, and change our environments, rather than just simply adapt and survive. The problem for many is that, to do this, we are forced to seek out truth, a pursuit that can impose momentary discomfort and require action. Furthermore, we must have faith that truth exists, and thus certainty that God (not an ever changing and random being), and His creations, is a knowable and learnable entity. While we might not have the time to know everything about all things, we can still reasonably discover what is true, and what is not. This can all be summed up in one easy statement, “Knowledge is possible.”

I have come to acknowledge that my life is my responsibility, regardless of the excuses I accepted in the past. While obstacles, these excuses were not reasons, as my choices produced the outcomes. As I continuously grow comfortable with this fact, I am managing to get on track and start improving my results. I do so because I have faith and certainty needed to seek the Truth. This endeavor was only made possible when I chose to reject the failed idea that truth is subjective. This does not mean I do not question things, as questions are necessary for independent thought. What I am certain of is that the answer can be found and that the false can be proven false.