dailydatewithgod

Sometimes without realizing it, we give away our power.  Whether it is the ideas of others, beliefs based on a societal agreement of norms, or an experience we have had, we choose to bend our will to things outside of us.   The clout we assign to these things outside of us we determine is what has shaped us to this point and therefore are assigned the driver seat in our car.  But where does that end?  At what point is it okay to give our own thoughts and feelings clout?  God invites us to look at where we are relying on people or things outside of ourselves to determine the direction of our hearts.  Recognizing the clout we give to outside forces starts by acknowledging who or what we deem as important.  It does not mean all of those forces are given clout stronger than our own internal experiences. It means those are the areas we are inclined to give clout above that of our own.  The reality is no one or thing outside of us can know how we are experiencing it.  The clout we assign to these outside elements is actually a step in the direction towards getting to know ourselves.  The question to ask ourselves is, do I see within myself the same qualities I attribute to the clout I am giving this person, place or thing outside of me?  What can it tell me about the character of my own heart?  Being willing to look helps us determine if the clout can be assigned to us instead of something outside of us.