Insatiable Thirst for Personal Autonomy

Follow your dreams. Find your happiness. Discover your potential. These are some things that we hear every day which reveals our society's ultimate authority and value, which is the self. Today, personal autonomy is valued so much in our culture, that it is ready to overthrow every moral principle that stands in the way of it.

It is astounding to notice how quickly our society is moving away from the values that were adopted and passed on from one generation to another. In such a short period of time, our culture has managed to redefine the family, our basic gender identity, our religious liberty, and a great array of other fundamentals. These sudden redefinitions come from an overwhelming craving for personal autonomy.

Every person seeks to be independent. We all want to be individuals. We want to be in control over our lives. We want to make decisions for ourselves. We hate hearing that we are wrong. This is true about you and it's also true about me. You and I share the same problem. No matter how conservative or liberal you may be, we have a desire for personal autonomy. We long to live our lives the way we see fit with our personal desires and dreams. We would much rather redefine and change what is true, rather than to conform to it.

One of the greatest tensions that exist in every person is the desire to oppose all authorities and the need to conform to them. We convince ourselves that we will find joy and pleasure apart from all principles and authorities, yet continue to live in the confines of a world that stands on laws, rules, and regulations, which serve for our best benefit.

We will always wrestle for personal autonomy if we do not realize the reality that surrounds us. This is not our world. We are created beings, designed in such a way, as to always be dependent. And though at times we may be blinded to our frailty, we are continually held by a God who chooses to be good to us. It is He who gave us life. He governs the way life works. He placed meaning to everything in life.

It is only when we come to know Him that we begin to enjoy everything as it is meant to be enjoyed. Instead of seeking our own will and pleasure, His will and His good pleasure becomes the goal of everything in this life. We soon realize our place in the universe of God. In humility before Him, we worship Him because it is His will that takes precedence over everything else. He becomes our Lord. But until we surrender our will and lay our personal autonomy at the throne of God, we will always live with a thirst for personal autonomy.