Ultimate Authority

I have ultimate authority over myself…right? I mean, I control what I do, how I act, what clothes to wear, who to pick on... Yes, I have ultimate authority! I am in the driver’s seat! Bow down to me and my ways of thinking, you heathens. None of you really know how to live your lives but I know how you should carry out your existence. That’s right! Do you know how rude it is to crack your gum? It's as disgusting as when you don't wipe down the eliptical trainer after you're finished. Please, if you don’t know how to drive, pull over. Don’t upset me by driving so slowly. And please! If you have 13 items, do not use the self check-out lane! You are holding up my life!!! Get out of the way! I’m on a roll here. I spend my money on what I want. Buy now, pay later. I “test-drive” the car before I “purchase” it. How else am I going to know? Hey everyone! I’m feeling good…let’s get wasted!!! Whoo-hoo!

Wow. I had to get all of that out of my system. See, that is me. The me that hides deep down and wants to spring out and slap people up. That is the me I’ve grown up with, gotten to know, and became fond of. That is me without Christ.

I made an important decision about 2 and a half years ago. I decided to give God the ultimate authority. After all, he is the “perfect standard.” He isn’t going to steer us down the wrong roads. I read a chapter in my weekly prayer group this afternoon. This chapter reminded me that I have given up ultimate authority.

“Many of our troubles occur because we base our choices on unreliable authorities: culture (“everyone is doing it”), tradition (we’ve always done it), reason (it seemed logical) or emotion (it just felt right).” But if we listen to the Lord, we will have the right answer every single time.

Does this mean that I am denying the real me? No. Does this mean I succeed all of the time? Um.no. What has changed is where my focus lies. I still think about self a lot but I go to God. I look to Him for answers. I have learned to use prayer and the bible, along with council to help me with all of my little issues.

I don’t agree with everything in the Bible but I choose to trust God on it. This doesn’t mean I have restrained myself from doing certain things but in many, many ways, I feel free NOT to sin anymore. This doesn’t mean I have a new personality. What it means is that I have a choice: do I go down the road that is always right, but unpopular? Or go down my own path which will probably lead to more selfish destruction? I’m still the same…but values have changed, authority has changed. God is not my co-pilot. He is the pilot and I fly with Him.

Oh, and I still get annoyed. Please, wipe down the eliptical trainer when you're finished.