I have made some very difficult decisions lately. There are certain people I have chosen to break relationships with.

As I have reflected on my decisions, I have wondered why it took me so long to make that difficult decision. I realize that the roots of my indecision could be traced back to my childhood.

I was raised in a home with great dysfunction. I know very few people who were raised without dysfunction.

My parents are not horrible people. I love both of them dearly. I think if they understood how difficult it was to be raised with criticism and rejection instead of praise and encouragement they would have changed. They just didn’t understand. They were not physically abusive at all, just a bit quick to point out something if they thought it was wrong.

I always got resistance when I wanted to do something remarkable. I have chosen many times to allow people in my life the freedom to sow resistance in different ways.

They want to sew sin, instead of righteousness, and because I want to please them, I allow the darkness of sin to color my light.

They sap my strength with their insecurity and neediness, always wanting more time or more “love” to prove that they are worthy. As I give them my time, I am walking away from the calling that God has placed on my life to become a successful Christian author.

The danger of allowing people of “resistance” into your life is that they are an anchor which can draw you down into nothingness. The more you try to pull them up, the more they drag you down.

Although they may be generous in many ways, their generosity is tainted by the payback which they expect.

They too are not bad. They just don’t understand.

As I look backward on my life, I realize that God gave me wonderful parents but not so wonderful that I wouldn’t need Him. In Psalms 45:10-11 God says, “Listen, O daughter. Consider and incline your ear; Forget your own people also, and your father’s house: (11) So the King will greatly desire your beauty: Because He is the Lord your God.”

As I grow closer to God, I have found the strength to break away from some who are anchors in my life.

As I have done so, I have come to know several people who have the potential to become the wind in my sails.

I, personally, would much rather be sailing than be stagnant and I certainly don’t want to mired in the anchor of sin.