Do you find it easier to make choices based on your circumstances—or on intentionality?

Throughout my life, I wish I had put more thought into my choices rather than allowing external factors to influence how I behaved.

Far too often, I acted in ways that compounded problems or said things that made them worse.

In my mind, if not for other people “pushing my buttons,” I would have been a perfect angel.

At some point, I finally realized that was a bunch of nonsense—hopefully you figured that out sooner than I did.

Fortunately, it did not take 27 years in prison for me to realize that I have more control over the peace in my life than I once believed.

After being released from prison for his fight against racial discrimination, Nelson Mandela chose reconciliation. Rather than calling for a civil war in South Africa, he sought to unite his country and its people.

 If anyone had a reason to blame others for a bad attitude or poor behavior, Mandela certainly qualified.

Instead, he chose peace.

What choices are you currently making that, if reversed, would invite more peace into your life?