This is how I choose to live.
I was listening to one of my favorite Relient K songs called "Death and Taxes", when I found myself re-discovering the meaning of the song, and realizing just how much I could relate.
The chorus is:
"This is how I choose to live
As if I'm jumping off a cliff
Knowing that You'll save me. Knowing that You'll save me.
And after all the stupid things I did,
There's nothing left there to forgive,
Cause You already forgave me. You already forgave me.
...never forget: there's life after death.
And taxes...
Forgiveness comes...
And all of the rest
is what passes
away...
death and decay can't touch us now."
The reason I say I can relate is that I do live my life as though I'm jumping off a cliff--taking risks that others might deem foolish, living to the fullest, chasing my dreams (no matter how unlikely they may seem), and facing tomorrow without worry or fear. Why? Am I without wisdom? Am I reckless? No and no. I just realize who is in control--and it's not me. God is not my co-pilot. He is the Creator, the Potter. Why do we insist on calling Him "Lord" when we really believe that we are in control of our own lives. People say this is pessimistic, fatalistic, whatever-istic. But the fact is, I am an optimist. I know that no matter what is happening, God is in control. So whatever is going on must be good (ultimitely), even if it seems bad. See, if I am in charge, then I can never be sure if I'm doing the right thing. But when I realize that it's all in His hands, I don't have to worry about messing up--I mean, in what universe could a mere human being ruin God's plan? That is encouraging news! It means: "fear not, friends, for the God of our Salvation is carrying out a plan, and you don't have to worry about every wrong move you will make, because no matter how hard you try, you will never out-sin God's grace or destroy His ultimate plan."
What brought all this up?
In Psychology, we have been disussing External and Internal locuses. Basically, there are two kinds of people in the world: Externalists and Internalists. Externalists attribute circumstances and outcomes to a Higher Power, while Internalists credit those things to themselves (or people in general). I was bothered by the way my psych. book describes Externalists as negative, pessimistic, etc. because I consider myself to be an Externalist, and I am none of those things. Internalists generally give credit to the will of man, which is something I can't honestly do, since I know Who holds the hearts of men.
I think those Externalists who give credit to luck or fate might be rather pessimistic, because those forces are proven to be neither good nor loving.
My view as an Externalist is based on the truth that a loving, good, just, and merciful God is in control of the universe (and our lives are certainly part of the universe), which leads me to be optimistic and successful. Optimistic because I trust Him to make all things good, so I can always wear a smile in any circumstance, knowing that it is for a purpose. Successful because I take risks that others might be too cautious to take, and I am unafraid of new and uncertain situations, since I know that God holds all my circumstances in His hands.
So this is how I choose to live:
"As if I'm jumping off a cliff...Knowing that [He'll] save me...
After all those stupid things I did, there's nothing left there to forgive...
Cause [He] already forgave me...[He] already forgave me."
_________________________________________________________________
In case someone is led to believe that I am convinced of this truth by a song, I have included the scriptures which shaped my Externalist view. This song merely confirms the belief that I already held.
Ex. 4:21
Deut. 29:4
Is. 29:16 ; 64:8
1 Samuel 10:9, 26
Romans 8:28; 9:21
Eph. 2:8, 10
1 Peter 2:8
I was listening to one of my favorite Relient K songs called "Death and Taxes", when I found myself re-discovering the meaning of the song, and realizing just how much I could relate.
The chorus is:
"This is how I choose to live
As if I'm jumping off a cliff
Knowing that You'll save me. Knowing that You'll save me.
And after all the stupid things I did,
There's nothing left there to forgive,
Cause You already forgave me. You already forgave me.
...never forget: there's life after death.
And taxes...
Forgiveness comes...
And all of the rest
is what passes
away...
death and decay can't touch us now."
The reason I say I can relate is that I do live my life as though I'm jumping off a cliff--taking risks that others might deem foolish, living to the fullest, chasing my dreams (no matter how unlikely they may seem), and facing tomorrow without worry or fear. Why? Am I without wisdom? Am I reckless? No and no. I just realize who is in control--and it's not me. God is not my co-pilot. He is the Creator, the Potter. Why do we insist on calling Him "Lord" when we really believe that we are in control of our own lives. People say this is pessimistic, fatalistic, whatever-istic. But the fact is, I am an optimist. I know that no matter what is happening, God is in control. So whatever is going on must be good (ultimitely), even if it seems bad. See, if I am in charge, then I can never be sure if I'm doing the right thing. But when I realize that it's all in His hands, I don't have to worry about messing up--I mean, in what universe could a mere human being ruin God's plan? That is encouraging news! It means: "fear not, friends, for the God of our Salvation is carrying out a plan, and you don't have to worry about every wrong move you will make, because no matter how hard you try, you will never out-sin God's grace or destroy His ultimate plan."
What brought all this up?
In Psychology, we have been disussing External and Internal locuses. Basically, there are two kinds of people in the world: Externalists and Internalists. Externalists attribute circumstances and outcomes to a Higher Power, while Internalists credit those things to themselves (or people in general). I was bothered by the way my psych. book describes Externalists as negative, pessimistic, etc. because I consider myself to be an Externalist, and I am none of those things. Internalists generally give credit to the will of man, which is something I can't honestly do, since I know Who holds the hearts of men.
I think those Externalists who give credit to luck or fate might be rather pessimistic, because those forces are proven to be neither good nor loving.
My view as an Externalist is based on the truth that a loving, good, just, and merciful God is in control of the universe (and our lives are certainly part of the universe), which leads me to be optimistic and successful. Optimistic because I trust Him to make all things good, so I can always wear a smile in any circumstance, knowing that it is for a purpose. Successful because I take risks that others might be too cautious to take, and I am unafraid of new and uncertain situations, since I know that God holds all my circumstances in His hands.
So this is how I choose to live:
"As if I'm jumping off a cliff...Knowing that [He'll] save me...
After all those stupid things I did, there's nothing left there to forgive...
Cause [He] already forgave me...[He] already forgave me."
_________________________________________________________________
In case someone is led to believe that I am convinced of this truth by a song, I have included the scriptures which shaped my Externalist view. This song merely confirms the belief that I already held.
Ex. 4:21
Deut. 29:4
Is. 29:16 ; 64:8
1 Samuel 10:9, 26
Romans 8:28; 9:21
Eph. 2:8, 10
1 Peter 2:8
posted by Eliora at
5:09 AM
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