WHATEVER

WHATEVER

We can choose to think whatever we want and act however we please. It's our God given right to free will.

Regardless of where we are, who we are with, what is happening around us, or to us, we can choose which thoughts are allowed to linger in our mind and how we react to them. Other people may try to influence, manipulate, or control our thoughts and actions. However our thoughts can only be completely controlled by ourselves.

What if we had no free will?

For example let's imagine we are in the middle of a snowstorm, huddled in an icy cave with some branches we gathered to make a fire to warm us. No matter how passionately we think about striking the match and lighting the fire, our body refuses to follow through. Our mind wants us to be warm, but a program in our system overrides our mind and will not allow us to harm anything. The program recognizes that the branches need to deteriorate to become food for various insects and it will not allow us to harm them. We can think about getting warm but we can't act on it.

Here's another situation, let's imagine we could only be loved by someone who had been programmed to do everything we wanted? The best relationships involve people who are opposites in at least one area of their being. This opposite trait creates tension in the relationship and the tension helps strengthen and balance each person out. Without tension the scales of life would tip only one way. Some tension is needed to bring balance into play.

There are many scenarios where the good way may sound appealing at first glance only to discover that the good way may not be the best way. Free will was given to us for a purpose.

 Keeping our thoughts on a positive track can be a challenge in this life and the guidelines found in Phillipians 4:8 are helpful:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."