“I don’t know why I’m going through t

“I don’t know why I’m going through this, but God is using it for His good . . . ”

I said it a million times, and if I failed to say it, people around me reminded me. And yes, of course, the power of God doesn’t depend on what we do.

But we are not powerless in our lives, and shouldn’t see ourselves as powerless.

Too often we blame God for what we did to ourselves.

Sure, you may be in a deadend job, but that doesn’t mean God put you there. Maybe you’re in a miserable relationship with someone you don’t trust, but that doesn’t mean God put you there. Maybe you’re in what seems like permanent poverty, but, yep . . . that doesn’t mean God put you there.

There are lots of things you don’t have control over: manipulative family members, health problems, the economy, and politics. But unless you are immobilized and in a vegetative state, you have control over some things. You do.

But whether you’re blaming God or other outside circumstances, know that you are indulging in Learned Helplessness. Life has taught you that forcing change is useless, or too scary to contemplate. If you want to go with that, fine. But don’t blame God.

If you don’t want to go with it . . . Oh, my gosh. You don’t have to stay here. Make a change — even a little one. Read a book. Find a role model. Take a risk. You aren’t being rebellious to God or any other controlling force (like relatives), by taking ownership of your life.

You already own your life. Whether you admit or not, you are responsible for how that life turns out. You have the power to make changes.

Do it. http://ow.ly/i/lvh9t