lifesong
Everyone needs compassion
And love that never fails
Let mercy fall on me
When everyone needs forgiveness
Kindness of the Saviour
The Hope of the nation
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything that i believe in
Now i surrender
Shine a light in and
let the whole world see
Singing, for the glory of the risen king
Jesus, Shine a light and
let the whole world see
Singing for the glory of the risen king
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
-4:48 AM
ELEPHANTS ARE CHAINED UP!! Our past can chain us too!!
"In his book Teaching the Elephant to Dance, James Belasco described how trainers shackle young elephants with heavy chains to deeply embedded stakes. In that way the elephant learns to stay in its place. Older, more powerful elephants that have been trained in this way never try to leave-even though the have the strength to pull the stake and walk away. Their conditioning limits their movements. Eventually, with only a small, unattached metal bracelet on their legs, they stand in place-even though the stakes are actually gone!" -John C Maxwell
Our past experiences have actually conditioned us in such hugh ways that we are so unaware of. Causing us to make decisions base on our past hurts, allowing it to dictate our lives, causing it to drive our lives, and thus not wanting to take risks, hindering us from doing things in this life that we so want to, seeing people with suspicion..... etc. We are thus unable to enjoy the fullest potential within us and enjoy what God has made this life for.
Personally, my past has caused me to be a person who is low in self confidence. Mistakes were a no no at my home, everything needed to be perfect. Praise and affirmation were scarce which has caused me to be a perfectionist towards myself and others... I strive to be affirmed by man and wanted to prove to be someone. I often felt the lack of attention from home, coming from an empty home, where my parents were seldom around, it caused a search for love, an emptiness... The bullies i had during my school days made it any worse.
I build walls, to defend my fragile heart. The strong image, the way i became so protective, has caused me to treat people differently. Yes my past has affected me big time. But i learnt now that i never have to.
Only a string used to tie down the strong elephant. Potentially the elephant could break free.
Elephants when grown up are too strong for any chains to tie them down. Yet mentally these hugh animals are still bound by it. Similarly experience from our past may make us stronger, that does not mean we are not mentally still being confine by our past. You cannot be free from your past until you know you are no longer sub consciously affected by it.
The elephants are not chained, only a ring tied ard their legs, they could easily escape, yet mentally they though they cldn't.
I do believe that "we are products of our expereinces" However does that mean good people is a result of a good past experience? And negative people have a negative past experience? Well maybe. But more rightfully put "WE ARE PRODUCTS OF HOW WE RESPOND TO OUR EXPERIENCE" Difference? When we say we are product of our experience, we are taking the passive role and allow all that has happened to shape us, our thinking, our values... When we say we are products of how we respond to our experience, we take the more active role to allow the situation to either make us stronger or weaker, bitter or better... In this way we are no longer at the mercy of our circumstances, but how we want to benefit from them irregardless of good or bad.
We may not be able to control the circumstances around us, and the family background and friends we have, but we can be responsible for our reaction towards them. To be a prisoner or product of our past depends on us individually. How we respond is going to determine how we see ourselves, who we are and eventually how people will see you. Our circumstances will change us. I REPEAT :" IT WILL CHANGE US!!" Question is for better or for worse.
