Do You Still Feel Like You’re A Victim
Because you don’t have to, you know
Some feel like they are never at fault for anything. They are forever the victim. No matter what is happening or what they are doing, they are the victim.
Everything bad was caused by someone or something else outside of the “poor soul.” “Not my fault, man!” How many times have you heard this in so many words? Or even say them?
“Yes, I did this but he did this to me first!” “I would be happy but for the (fill in the outside influence such as bully, agitator, illness, injury, lost relationship, the cops, the courts, parents, bosses.” (the list is endless)
The truth is that the only one who can make me glad or sad is ME! No one or nothing else can. Other people or conditions outside of my own mind can not make or break my feelings.
Why, you may ask? Because it is not the other’s actions or the physical aggravations at all. It is how we react to them that can change our moods.
Those of us who have suffered cancerous growths, significant losses, failed or failing relationships, physical aches and pains and various other injuries can still be Happy, Joyous, and Free.
“But, if you had my pain and/or suffering, you couldn’t possibly be Happy, Joyous, or Free.” Oh, yes I can because I CHOOSE not to injure myself more by adding to the situation.
It even becomes a generational thing. Passed down from generation to generation. Many go through entire lives feeling victimized and therefore teaching the next generations that they, too, are victims. Entire cultures can and do do this.
Do I feel happy, joyous, or free about the suffering of another? Of course not! I can and do whatever I can to assist whoever chooses to ask for it. I just will not bring myself down to their level of mood.
How can one possibly help lift someone up if they are both in the same hole? Impossible! One must be in a higher mood or level to lift another from the depths.
I did not drink or do drugs today so I now have the ability to CHOOSE and I choose to not be a victim anymore.
Recently, Father Jay Gantz said to the congregation of St. Andrews Church on the impoverished, violent East Side of Flint, MI something that fits in very well with our remarkable program.
“Our Higher Power is called many different names by many different people but all mean the same Higher Power that created us all.” (See Step 2 which says: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. )
With this in mind, he said “What separates our Faith communities from other Social Activist groups such as Lions Club, Doctors without Borders, and the like? These are great groups who do wonderful work.
However, what is their motivation? The difference is that our Motivation lies deep within our hearts and souls. Our motivation is to follow Jesus. It is with this understanding that we are able to view the world around us and our motivation is clear.
We are located in the most impoverished city of the United States. We are called in a sacred way to minister to each other and to minister to the residents of the East Side of Flint, Mi.
Our motivation is not social activism. Our motivation is not one of personal interest, Our motivation is not one of financial gain. Our motivation is one that is sacred. Our motivation is based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
We are allowing our God to bring about courage in our hearts as well as in our hands, feet, minds, and souls. Where our hearts are is also where God’s heart is.”
We no longer have to feel victimized by everyone and everything! Yes, bad things can and do happen. The best thing that we can take from this is that we can CHOOSE to be free, not victims.
When things happen, good or bad, we can CHOOSE how to react to them. We can CHOOSE how to FEEL about them. Therefore we can CHOOSE how our lives will be at every moment.
Does this mean that we can be happy about something bad occurring? Of course not. But we can CHOOSE to be Happy because we can now make decisions that we can live with.
We can choose to be Joyous so that we no longer add to the misery by obsessing over conditions outside of ourselves.
And this is all because we are Free from the influence of any mind-altering substances.
Thank you, God!
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