The Fork in the Road: Act or Be Acted Upon

I recently attended a conference where the speaker introduced me to a concept that changed the way I approach every challenge in my life. It’s simple, but profound:

Everything in this world can be placed into one of two categories—things that act, and things that are acted upon.

A book, for example, can be set on a table and it will stay there, not moving, unless something acts upon it—a person, maybe a gust of wind. The book has no say, it is at the mercy of outside forces.

As human beings, we have the privilege of being in the act category. We’ve been given the divine gift of agency: the ability to choose how we respond to the world around us. 

Sure, there are many things in life we can't control. The loss of a loved one. Betrayal. A diagnosis. Someone else’s choices. 

But even in the midst of those moments, we get to decide what we’ll do next. We can let them paralyze or define us. We can remain the victim. Or we can pause, gather strength, and move forward with intention.

Recently, I faced some circumstances that nearly took me under. The kind that made me want to curl up in a ball and stay there. But in the middle of my pain, I remembered: I have a choice.

I can be like that book on the table, waiting for life to happen to me, a victim of my circumstances. Or I can act. I can become a force in my own story. I can choose how to think, how to speak, how to move forward. I can reach for tools that center me and good people that help me grow.

This mindset shift has empowered me like never before.

And believe it or not, that isn't even the most incredible part...

If you stop and think about it, everything we have is really given to us by God. Nothing is truly ours. As Job says in the bible, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” Our relationships, our health, our time, our posessions can all be taken in an instant.

There is only one exception to this: our agency.

The ability to choose is the only thing that is truly ours. It was a gift from the beginning, and God has promised never to take it away. And that means agency is the only thing we can truly give back to Him. Submitting our will to His… trusting Him more than ourselves… surrendering our plans for His—that is the only true gift we can offer a God who is the true owner of all things

And here’s the life-altering truth: we can never out-give Him.

When we offer Him our will, our trust, our small acts of obedience… He blesses us beyond measure. He takes every tiny scrap we offer and turns it into something beautiful. I’ve seen this in my own life—little by little, as I’ve released control, asked for help, learned to really listen to and follow the Spirit, my life has become more peaceful, more joyful, and more full of purpose.

He doesn’t just accept our offering.

He multiplies it.

Because He loves effort and He loves us.

If you’re in a season where you’re feeling stuck, heavy, or powerless, I’d love to walk beside you. I’m offering free coaching for just a short time longer as I continue my certification. I would be honored to support you as you begin to reclaim yourself as a force in your own life.

You were never meant to be acted upon.  

You were born to act—with courage and with purpose.

If this message resonates with you, I’d love to connect. Reach out and schedule a free call with me today!