Have you ever noticed how quickly “yes” can come out of your mouth?
Before you’ve looked at your calendar.
Before you’ve prayed.
Before you’ve even asked yourself whether it’s yours to carry.
For years, I thought that was just my personality.
I didn’t realize there was a moment between what happened around me and how I responded.
The Teaching
A thought often attributed to Viktor Frankl has stayed with me for years:
Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.
For a long time, I didn’t know that space existed.
Someone asked for help…
I said yes.
Someone seemed disappointed…
I assumed I’d done something wrong.
A conversation ended…
I replayed it for hours.
There was no pause.
Just reaction.
As I’ve learned more about hidden patterns and how God designed our minds and bodies, I’ve realized that many of those reactions weren’t character flaws.
They were familiar patterns.
And familiar often feels safe.
The Shift
Today, I’m learning to notice that space.
Before I answer.
Before I apologize.
Before I rush to fix someone else’s emotions.
I pause and ask one simple question:
“Lord, what is mine to carry here?”
Sometimes the answer is yes.
Sometimes it isn’t.
That one question has changed countless ordinary Tuesdays.
Becoming
The woman God is shaping me into doesn’t care less.
She simply carries what He has given her to carry–and trusts Him with the rest.
Maybe that’s where freedom begins.
Not in always having the right answer…
But in remembering that your first reaction doesn’t have to make the decision.
If this resonates with you, I’d love to give you my complimentary Why Do I Feel Responsible For Everyone? Guide. It will help you recognize the invisible burdens you may have been carrying for years and begin partnering with God in a new way.
