Without free will we would be no more than robots following the directions of a central programmer. The quality of our life would be determined by the programmer rather than by our choices. So, while free will is desirable, it does cause problems when our choices clash with the choices of others.
Going along fine,
doing your best,
then WHAM . . .
What to do when
another's free will
clashes with yours.
During our lifetime we may encounter many problems with others' free will. People are unique, and some are not very nice. They may lie to us or about us, they may cheat us, and/or steal from us. People in authority may use their position to take advantage of us, and life in general is not to be considered completely fair. Yet, somehow we must learn to handle these events and keep ourselves on the path of love.It takes a lot of courage to hold the course, and do the right (loving) thing, when others could care less. But, we don't do this primarily for others, we do this for ourselves. There is great joy, peace, and power in learning to love. There are three steps to accomplish this: (1) forgiving yourself and others for not meeting unrealistic expectations; (2) developing a non-judgemental attitude toward life; and (3) loving unconditionally. The more we learn to love, the more we understand about life, and learn why we are on this earth.
Below are a few things that have been helpful
to me in tough situations.Keep a journal of your daily activities and interactions with others. If you are being bullied, or consistently treated unfairly write down the incident on the day it occurs. Be honest and accurate. What was said, who said it, what happened, who did it, the time and place, everything pertinent to the event. This record should be honest and accurate enough to withstand the scrutiny of others. The journal should also contain normal, happy events as well to give it balance. As the journal progresses you can better see the pattern of events and know how to take action. This action may include showing a copy of your journal to authorities and asking for help, or it may indicate changing things about yourself to resolve the problems you encounter daily.
Be confident with others, introduce yourself and state your intentions. The more people know about you as an individual the less likely they are to treat you unfairly. Let them know, through your actions, that you are an honest person and expect to be treated fairly. Don't engage in gossip or loose talk, stick to the essentials. Just because you choose the path of love doesn't mean you're pusillanimous. It takes courage, and a lot of it, to hold the path of love.
There are times when we need the help of others, don't be afraid to ask, don't hesitate to report bullying or abuse quickly. We are all worthy of God's love, and worthy to be treated well by our fellowman.
For the smaller slights and hurts of life we use the spiritual principles of forgiveness, non-judgemental attitude, and learning to love. There is no reason you should fear, and love dispells fear. You are the eternal child of God and will be held in safety and security by Him forever.
Free Will.
Link to a Suicide NDE account.
The NDE Real Purpose and Meaning of Life.
If you believe life's so bad you're considering suicide.
