People or Puppets?

I’ve heard it said that there are three kinds of people in the world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who find themselves asking, “Whoa, what happened?”

If you’ve ever been in the last group, you know it’s not fun. That’s because God has created us to be people of purpose, and when we aren’t living out that purpose, it leaves us feeling frustrated instead of fulfilled.

Psalm 139:16 says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

God knew us before we knew ourselves, and he orchestrated our very existence for a reason.  He has a plan for our lives but gives us the choice to either accept or ignore it. He created us as people with decision-making abilities rather than puppets controlled by their circumstances.

Think back to the story of Pinocchio and his famous phrase. He said he wanted to be a real boy. Have you ever felt like that? Like you’re not living a real life—a life of purpose that causes your heart to come alive and become excited about living out each and every day?  When you’re pursuing God’s purposes and operating out of the passions he’s placed inside of you, you’ll feel more alive than ever.

As a pastor, I often hear people say, “But pastor, there’s too much sin and pain in my past to move forward.” Well, what about the story of Paul? As a persecutor and murderer of Christians, he didn’t exactly have the best reputation either. But he became one of the most influential men in the Old Testament! If he can make a change, so can you! 

Who cares if your family is known for addiction, abuse or divorce? You change it! God didn’t create us as puppets with no will of our own; He didn’t create us to be moved and manipulated by things outside of our control. Instead, he gave us the freedom to choose. He gave us a mind that can think and reason and a heart that can feel both pain and pleasure.

So what life will you choose? The limited life of a puppet or the liberating life God has created you for? I can tell you from experience, God’s way is so much better!