Evaluating a Facebook Post

‎”There comes a time in your life,when u walk away from all the drama & people who create it.U surround yourself with people who make u laugh.Forget the bad, focus on the good.Love the people who treat u right,pray for the ones who don’t.Life is 2 short to be anything but happy.Falling down is a part of life,getting back up is living.” Being alive is a gift, living a happy life is a choice….I’ve learned the ones that judge u for those actions stated, ultimately end up being the ones u pray for.”

This is a facebook post from a nearly 40 year old woman who just filed for divorce – her 2nd.  In the divorce is a 2 year old daughter now living apart from her daddy.

What strikes me about the post is that it takes a noble approach – as though walking away is the high road.  I find it interesting that there is no suggestion of self evaluation or  consideration of conflict resolution.  Instead it reads as a declaration of ego-centrism.  By making it a public declaration, it commits her to the decision but does not invite other possibilities.  Essentially, she has told all of her readers not to challenge her decision because she is pursuing the ultimate good — being happy.

However, contentedness is not a by-product of “forgetting the bad”.  Peace is not a decision of walking away.  Contentedness is from inside.  It is finding sufficiency in God, being satisfied with who He has called us to be.  Peace comes in solving the conflict or knowing resolution was sought, and you did all you could on your side and opened all doors to the other.

True nobility is not a declaration of happiness, but an honest pursuit of peace – Shalom.