“Do we really have free-will?” That was one of the questions we had to answer in my Metaphysics PhD, class. Exciting question, isn’t it?
I began my presentation for the above question, by firmly opposing the notion that we have free will. “No we don’t have free-will.” I urged. “Prove it” responded the professor. I mumbled my way through the discussion and guess what? I failed. The professor directed me back to the notes he had given us regarding the subject, which proposed that we had free-will. In order to pass the paper, I had to borrow his concepts, build on them and then submit the paper. And although I was never convinced by his supporting evidence that we, in our limited expression as humans, have free-will, I surrendered to his will, because I wanted to pass my examinations and get going with my life.
Free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one’s own discretion.
The above definition illustrates that free-will is the power to act on one’s own discretion. However, do you really always act on your own discretion?
To elaborate on this argument further, ask, what is discretion?
Discretion is the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
Do you have the freedom to decide what you should do, how you should act, think or behave? Isn’t it true that sometimes you make decisions, not because you are free to make those particular decisions but because your options are limited. Are your decisions authentic to you? How many times have you bought something and later realized that you didn’t really need it? Have you ever wondered how you made the decision? Do you really think that your free-will to buy the item was pure and authentic to you?
Over the years, it is has dawned on me that we don’t necessarily have “free-will,” in our limited expressions as humans. Our will is not our own. It is for our identities and personalities–also founded on our programming. We will, and act not based on our authentic selves but on all the programing that we have accepted as our truth. Other times, we submit to the will of others because that’s one way that we could get what we want. (Refer to the story in this article. I had to submit to the will of my professor in order to pass the paper. Therefore, my free will intimidated by an external factor.)
Therefore, I have concluded that the only true free will we have, is the will of God. Due to the fact that God is a constant, never changing or changeable, nothing can corrupt or influence his will, except when we choose to live by our limited will. Yes, God gave us free-will but the only way we can really purify it, is to let it dissolve and be consumed by the will of God.
I am posing the same question to you: What are your thoughts on free-will? Do you have free-will? Is your free-will authentic and pure to you? Do you always act in congruent with what you really need…what will elevate your wellbeing or improve your life? What does free-will mean to you?
In my latest book, Power-Prayers for Personal freedom, you will access powerful prayers written in a way that will trigger a deeper sense of vulnerability to yourself, and then to God, within you. As you say the prayers, you will realize just how much your free-will has been corrupted, and how your life’s experiences are influenced by stuff that was handed down to you–either by your parents or the environment.
Get your copy today. Get started on achieving your freedom to live life in your authentic way.
Love and light
Tapthegood 