You Choose Your Reaction

I had a heart to hear with Jonah this week. He has been having troubles at school that have been causing him to "have a terrible day". Sometimes, his reactions to what happens to him are inappropriate for the situation. At school, if he doesn't get time on the computer or if he misses an assignment and has to make it up, he becomes depressed. He views it as a horrible thing, and it takes him completely negative. The remainder of the day is shot.

I explained to him that he can not completely control what happens to him, but he chooses his reaction. Nobody can make him feel anything. He chooses it. This is something that took me a long time to understand. It is what victims do. They are not in control of their lives.

He says he understands, and I think he does. He has to choose to have a positive outlook. He has to choose to see the good and let the bad go. He has to choose to have the appropriate response in public. He can talk out his emotions at home. He does not have to fall apart in front of everyone. He chooses that.

It might sound harsh, but everyone has to live by this principle. We control what we can control. The only thing that we can control is our self and our reactions to life. Things happen, but our reaction is our own. We have to choose to be positive and let God handle what comes our way. We can't play the victim and be happy. It doesn't work that way.