[Influences]

The influences of your life are not something that others can fight. That is something you have to choose. I would desire you to choose ABUNDANT life in Christ, not free from struggle or sin, but directionally and intentionally moving towards Christs goals & purposes for you life. Are the people you are surrounded by and attached to people who could help you, encourage you or assist you in Christ focused goals? Or are they themselves are in great need of a Savior, and someone strong enough to get them there. In our effort to help another, do we simply enable their lifestyle by joining in? Would someone else be better equipped to truly help them. Don't enable them to stay in their lifestyle by holding on to them. Because while you do that... they are simply influencing you.

Influences are not always worldly that are wrong. They can simply be self centered or self pursuing influences that give advice from (at times innocently) a heart that is not seeking God's best and wisest means. Perhaps it's just immature influences. Perhaps they are blatantly wrong... and our heart knows it. But one thing is for sure, no one can choose them for us.

What should we want? Influences that are Godly - in character & deed - moving in the same direction as us. Older, wiser influences that are Biblically sound and theologically on track. Peers that love us enough to say the hard things, and hold our hand in our sorrow. Friendships that move us towards Christ and make us more like Him. So that, we are built up and strong enough to look different enough to have the world say "hey, what's up with that person... i want what they have". We should always ourselves be influencing those around us to CHRIST. Not ourselves... but Jesus who is the only one strong enough for us all.