Some people make it their business to control your life. Just as puppeteers control puppets, there are people that spend a lot of time and energy pulling other people's strings. I am sure you have met them, I call them the people puppeteers.
Think about string puppets. While there is a science as to how professional string puppeteers do their job, the people puppeteers to which I'm referring are operate quite differently.
Professional string puppeteers pull strings directing puppet body movements. The puppet goes along with puppeteer, thus having no control whatsoever. Do you see where I am going with this? Hence, here are my questions:
Are you a people puppet?
Is anybody pulling your strings?
Are your actions knowingly or unknowingly controlled by others?
Trying to live a life controlled by humans can be exhausting. People can be relentless and manipulative. God did not intricately fashion your innermost being just so you could live your life being jerked around or controlled by others. Living your life according to other people's agendas leads you to become dog-tired, depressed, confused, and unfulfilled.
Action step: Cut your strings from puppeteer hands and be free!
How do you do this? I am so glad you asked! First, acknowledge that you have allowed others to pull your strings. Next, resolve in your heart you no longer wish to live the remainder of your life as a people puppet. Once you have made this internal resolution, exhale. You are headed in the right direction. As situations arise where the previous people puppeteers, try and "grab your strings" back, stand firm in your resolve. Yes, you may offend some. You may even lose a friend or two, but still, you need to be free.
Often, if a person is trying to control me or my actions, I usually respond like so, "Thank you. I will keep your suggestion in mind." But then, I step back emotionally, maybe even physically.
Side note: For married people, your action steps and dialogue will most likely be a bit more detailed. Prayerfully, the two of you should function as conjoined individuals working towards harmony.
Ok, back to what I was saying. Here is some free advice. Do not engage in unfruitful discussions with controlling people. Save your energy and breath for more productive things, like exercise, prayer, meditation, or just take a good old fashioned rejuvenating nap instead!
Takeaway: Don't be a people puppet. Realize that God formed you to flourish as an extraordinary individual. Search yourself. Study yourself. Remember who you are and what you believe. Then live life accordingly. My personal rule of thumb is unless you are Jesus, my strings don't belong to you! Trust me, I have lived my life in a lot of ways, but I have discovered that living in freedom is a lot easier than living life as a people puppet.
So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.
John 8:36 AMP
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