Doing, Non-Doing, Over-Doing

In everyday life and living, there're certain things you must do, as well as things you don't do or over-do. 

With faith, you prioritize your time and understand your need to spend more time in prayers and in reading God’s Word than on the Internet. Not knowing what to do next may create your inexplicable self-pressure of anxiety, doubt, fear—the so-called “angst” personality or state of mind.

Controlling is the natural human response to the “angst” feeling. Controlling others and the surrounding circumstances is often perceived as the "solution" to many life problems—control is power; power is pressure; and pressure is solution. But pressing others, as well as self, to do certain things to get the desired result is only self-delusion because it always generates rejection and resistance not only from others but also, ironically, from self.

Pressure has its origin from expectations—for example, the expectations of parents with anxiety about the good grades of their children; the expectations of those socializing with fear of rejection by others; and the expectations of those participants in sports and competitions with worry of defeat and not winning.

With faith, you understand that God is in control, and you just do your best and let Him do the rest. With no expectations, living everyday life is joy and peace with no worry.

Without faith, and living in the flesh, many want to control others through pressure, or being pressured by their own expectations to do wrongdoings.

An Illustration

Lance Armstrong, the once-celebrated-but-now-disgraced cyclist, had won seven consecutive Tour de France titles and the Olympic bronze medal. His initial success "pressured" him with his expectations of more future success that led to his “wrongdoing”—using performance-enhancing drugs to win all his subsequent races. His expectations to win ultimately brought about his downfall, and he was stripped off all his previous winning titles.

Living by faith: Desiring for success, which is pride, distances you from God. Giving up your control of your destiny is your trust. Accepting the outcome of anything is your obedience.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles