My Life Feels Out Of Control

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7 Things You CAN Control That Will Make A Difference In Your Life


Any control I think I have is a myth. I do have choices, but the longer I live the more I realize that I'm never really in control. This used to produce fear and anxiety in me because if I am not in control, who or what is? I am convinced that God is in control and ultimately His good, pleasing, and perfect will for my life will come to pass (Romans 12v2), but my choices have taken me on major detours from time to time. An inspirational group called "Fearless Soul" shared these 7 things we can control (or choices we DO have) regardless of our circumstances or situations. Let's make choices that lead us into the best place God has for us!

1.) Your Thoughts And Beliefs

Everything begins in our minds. If I believe that every struggle I ever face is an attack from the enemy then I'm giving the "enemy" way too much credit. Resistance training (i.e. lifting weights) produces muscle growth and strength. Many times, God allows us to go through struggles to produce a strength in us that is preparing us for what is coming. Check out James 1v2-4

2.) Being Kind To Others

Some of the most beautiful acts of compassion I've witnessed in my life were inside the prison system. When we choose to show kindness to other people we are planting seeds into our future that result in kindness returning to us. Regardless of my circumstances, I can be kind!

3.) Your Effort

If I'm in a dead end job, or I'm frustrated by what others around me are doing, I can still decide the effort I will put in. Have I stopped trying because others have? Have I stopped learning because I can't see the point? We always decide the effort we will give.

4.) Your Pursuit Of Knowledge

When we were young we all had a natural curiosity about the world around us. At some point most of us stopped asking questions because we felt we had it figured out. My mom (who is in her early 70s) recently told me that the older she gets and the more she learns, the more she realizes how little she knows. We can always pursue more knowledge.

5.) Your Gratitude For What You Do Have

We created a national holiday to remind us to be thankful but some of us seem to believe that this means we should only be thankful for one day each year in November. Stop in this moment and say aloud 3 things you ARE grateful for and remind yourself that no matter the hardship, no matter the fight, there is something you have been given to be thankful for. (This morning, while I'm in my prison cell, mine is a great cup of coffee, and the fact that yesterday I had the chance to spend the day catching up with 2 of my closest friends that I had not seen in 17-months.)

6.) How You Treat Others

I always get to choose how I treat others and I can affect how others feel after they have an interaction with me. Am I building up or tearing down? Am I speaking life and love or am I complaining and whining? This isn't some naive "Pollyanna" approach to life, but I can treat others how I want to be treated.

7.) Who You Surround Yourself With

There are those we MUST be around, then there are those we choose to surround ourselves with. I love the concept of addition by subtraction, pruning out the people, places, and things that are not helping me produce the kind of fruit I desire in my life. Regardless of where I am, regardless of what I'm facing, I get to choose what kinds of people I surround myself with. Friend, you are never truly "in control" and maybe that's why life sometimes feels out of control, but you and I get to make choices. This day, this moment, make the choices that your future self will thank you for. Choose to speak life and love. Choose to be a builder not a destroyer. Declare today: I Choose Hope! I'd love to hear what else you see that we get to CHOOSE each day, please share with me, leave a comment, and share this blog with others who may need it!

Like Trent's blog? Subscribe to his monthly newsletter at ichoosehope.substack.com.

Contact Trent directly by creating a Securus e-messaging account at SecurusTech.net or on the Securus App. You'll need his full name, State, and facility (Trenton Blythe, Texas, Texas Department of Criminal Justice). He'd love to hear from you!

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