Who Can You Control?

As I was driving to work the other day I began to think, you know how you have disagreements with someone or someone does something and it makes you question their integrity or loyalty? How easy is it for us to push things off on others and perhaps it is their fault, but sometimes we get so caught up focusing on the mistakes of others, we don’t focus on ourselves. We are the only people we can change. Many times when I see other things in other people, maybe they show themselves to be selfish, childish, unforgiving, or mean/hateful, I recognize and understand I can’t do anything about them and their behavior, I can’t make them act or say what I feel that they should say, I can’t make them apologize or take back what they said, however, I can pray for them. The only thing that I can truly control is me! Sometimes, God allows us to be in certain situations so that we can learn about ourselves and our ability to handle situations. What I am continuing to learn is in these moments, 1 – I have to recognize who it is that I can control and that is me and 2 -I have to begin to ask God to search my heart. If there is anything that is not like God if I am not as loving as you or forgiving as you; help me to identify or even get to the root of the things that are not right within me. It goes back to my previous post on inventory, understanding what is right or wrong in you and what you can improve. Then, I recognize, I must go back to the word of God and allow the word to penetrate your heart so that you can begin to make changes within me. I remember hearing a message once, and the minister said that the word of God is like a mirror, it shows you…you. We have to recognize the things within us that are not right, and with the help of God, change can and will come. We cannot be so focused on others that we lose sight of ourselves. Who can you control?