Let Us Not Get Tricked by What Looks Good

There is something about autumn that warms my heart. I love the changing colors of the leaves, the beautiful hues of auburn, gold, orange, and brown that seem to paint the landscape with a richness only God could create. I enjoy the crispness in the air, the comfort of a warm sweater, the smell of something wonderful cooking in the kitchen, and the thought of families gathering around a fireplace. Fall reminds me that change can be beautiful. It is a season of transition, reflection, and preparation for what lies ahead. However, there is one thing about this time of year that I have never particularly embraced, and that is Halloween. I realize many people enjoy the costumes, decorations, candy, and festivities, and I certainly respect that. But personally, I have never been a big fan of the scary images, darkness, and negativity that can sometimes accompany the holiday. Nevertheless, there is one familiar Halloween expression that recently caused me to reflect on something much deeper: "Trick or Treat!"

Those three simple words made me think about life, the choices we make, the people we encounter, and the importance of recognizing when we are being tricked versus when we have an opportunity to be a treat, or better yet, a blessing to someone else. We must make sure we do not get tricked by what may look good.  There is a lot of deception these days across the board.  Keep your eyes open.  One of life's greatest lessons is understanding that everything that looks good is not necessarily good for us. Sometimes we get tricked by appearances, promises, relationships, opportunities, and even our own thoughts. We convince ourselves that something will make us happy, successful, or fulfilled, only to discover that what appeared to be a treat was actually a trick. We can be tricked into believing that our worth is determined by our income, our appearance, our titles, or the approval of others. We can be tricked into comparing our journey with someone else's and believing that because we have not arrived at a particular destination, we must somehow be falling behind.

We can even trick ourselves into staying in situations that no longer serve us because we are afraid of what change might require. As The Purpose Partner, I often talk about women finding themselves at crossroads. These are the moments when life challenges us to pause, reflect, and make decisions about our next chapter. At these crossroads, we must exercise discernment. We must learn to distinguish between what simply looks attractive and what truly aligns with our purpose, values, and peace. Not every open door is ours to walk through, and not every opportunity is a blessing. Do not allow life to trick you out of your peace. Another trick we must guard against is allowing circumstances or other people to steal our joy and peace. We are living in a world where uncertainty, division, disappointment, and fear can easily consume our thoughts. If we are not careful, we can become so focused on everything that is wrong that we forget to appreciate everything that is still right.

Becoming unshakable does not mean that life will never disappoint us or that we will never experience fear, grief, or uncertainty. It means learning to stand firm in who we are, what we believe, and whose we are. It means recognizing that although we cannot control everything that happens around us, we can make intentional choices about how we respond. I have learned through my own life's journey that sometimes the greatest trick is believing that our past has the power to determine our future. It does not. Our mistakes, disappointments, and even the painful experiences we have endured do not have to define the rest of our lives. We can heal. We can forgive. We can begin again. Be the treat someone else needs. A treat does not always have to be something sweet wrapped in colorful paper. Sometimes the greatest treat we can offer another person is our time, encouragement, compassion, patience, or willingness to listen without judgment. Remember, stay alert and do not get tricked this Halloween. 

Wendy is the Purpose Partner helping women go from Crossroads to Confidence, from Shaken to Unshakable, from Purpose to Power. To learn more visit WendyGladney.com and ForgivingForLiving.org