I Am Responsible For Me

And I heard it in my spirit this morning. It’s almost like He gently whispered it right to my soul and I quickly took ownership of it, writing it down in my Prayer Journal, “They have control over them, but I have control over me.”

Because sometimes words hurt. And sometimes abandonment breaks a heart. And sometimes others’ pain is masked by insults that cause injury. But their burden is not yours. And it’s not mine.

They are responsible for them... but I am responsible for me. For my heart.

And God has called those who love Him to keep their hearts pure... to be set apart... to be holy because He is holy. And my actions... your actions... cannot be a reflection of their poor choices or of their chronic abuse or of their malnourished character.

The calling on your life... on mine... is significant. It carries with it power and potential far beyond our imagination. But we risk disqualification if we can’t see past the deficiency and discouragement in other people.

How they choose to respond is not up to me. But how I choose to let it affect me and defile me IS up to me. “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Heb 12:15). The choice is mine. Let it penetrate my heart, and it will infiltrate my life, thus corrupting many, and rendering me disqualified for the purposes He has for my life.

And so I prayed it again today: Keep my heart pure, God. Keep me on fire for You. I can’t afford to burn out! My influence and effectiveness is directly connected to how I behave during challenging circumstances, and in difficult situations I can’t control. And how I respond to toxicity is directly tied to my destiny.

Help me get this right.