Thursday, February 01, 2007

i wonder...

this might not be all that encouraging but i can't help but to believe it. does CHANGE really exist or is it just synonymous to an extreme case of RESTRAINT? and why do i think so? a highly debatable subject and i'm keen to hear your views on this.

it sounds common and right to say that people change over time, due to circumstances and because of the influence of the people around them. i wouldn't disagree with that but here's my take on it. after much thought, i'd say that a change in a person's life is nothing more than acts of restraint coupled with a new perspective. let's take for example a guy who WAS uncouth, promiscuous and smokes. sounds like a typical example of someone who doesn't have a very positive social influence. now let's say that person involves himself in a positive influence of friends or simply attends a highly motivational talk on ethics. what he sees now is the advantages of being refined, morally upright and living a smoke-free life. He realizes that more people are willing to accept him when he's refined. He understands his value and self-worth and decides not to indulge in casual sex because there's someone out there who means more than that to him. He also makes a firm decision to abstain from cigarettes because of the many health risks and the unreasonably high costs it incurs. so is this change or a simple case of restraint and of a different perspective to these issues? i'd say the latter. He now knows that he can abstain from these habits and still be happy(or even happier) and be more socially accepted and save on unnecessary costs and reduce health risks. this is gonna sound really doubtful or even borderline sinful but i'd say it anyway. In a case like this in church, you'd say that God changed him. i disagree. He just saw for himself the advantages and made an optimal solution out of it. YES it will hurt at e start and it'll be really difficult and uncomfortable but he knows his efforts are not in vain and for a much higher benefit. it's a decision HE made. It is restraint because he IS addicted to cigarettes and sex is pleasurable. But he chose to practise it(restrain) because of the new perspective he has come to know of and stands by. Nevertheless, the temptations will still be lurking around whether or not God is in the picture.

What's really discouraging him from going back to his past? is it really God or his will(restraint) and mind(perspective)?

Posted by kevin. at 9:13 am