In this fast-paced, ever-changing world, it can be challenging to discern God's will for us. The influences around us, whether negative or positive, can have a significant impact on our decisions and actions. This blog post will explore the journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth, highlighting the importance of refining our listening skills, avoiding manipulation, gaslighting, and coercion, and seeking God's guidance in all aspects of our lives.
Recognizing Negative Influences
The first step towards aligning ourselves with God's intentions is to recognize negative influences. These are the forces that can lead us astray from His path. Negative influences include manipulation, gaslighting, and coercion, and they are not aligned with God's intentions.
Manipulation is a deceitful tactic used to control or influence others for personal gain. It could be a friend trying to get you to do their homework, a family member pressuring you to choose a certain career, or a partner trying to make you feel guilty for spending time away from them.
Gaslighting, on the other hand, is a form of psychological manipulation that seeks to make you doubt your own thoughts, feelings, and reality. It could be a boss making you feel like your ideas are not valid, a friend constantly telling you that you don't know what you're talking about, or a partner making you believe that you're forgetful or confused.
Coercion, similar to manipulation, is a forceful tactic used to make you do something against your will. It could be a parent forcing you to follow a certain religion, a partner making you feel like you have to stay with them, or a boss threatening to fire you if you don't comply with their demands.
Refining Listening Skills
The next step in our journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth is to refine our listening skills. Listening is not just about hearing the words, but also about understanding and interpreting them.
When someone is manipulating you, they are often using clever language and tactics to make you do something you wouldn't normally choose to do. By refining your listening skills, you can pick up on these subtle cues and understand the true intentions behind the other person's words.
Similarly, when someone is gaslighting you, they are trying to make you doubt your own thoughts and feelings. By refining your listening skills, you can recognize when this is happening and trust your own perception.
Coercion is a more forceful tactic, often used to make someone feel like they have no choice. By refining your listening skills, you can recognize when this is happening and assert your own will.
Seeking God's Guidance
In our journey of spiritual growth, seeking God's guidance is crucial. As the ultimate source of wisdom, God can provide us with the clarity we need to make decisions and the strength to stick to them.
If God directs us somewhere, it's important to discern if this direction is permanent or seasonal. For instance, a job could be a temporary position meant to provide experience and skills, or a permanent career that aligns with our long-term goals and values.
By seeking God's guidance, we can also avoid the pitfalls of manipulation, gaslighting, and coercion. These negative influences, when disguised as God's will, can lead us away from His true intentions for us.
In conclusion, the journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth is an ongoing process. It's about constantly refining our listening skills, avoiding negative influences, and seeking God's guidance in all aspects of our lives. As we navigate through the complexities of life, let us always turn to God, the ultimate source of wisdom, for His direction and strength.
