The Matrix and the Master Reprogrammer

Have you thought recently, “How did I end up here again?” or “Why is the same pattern repeating itself, day after day?” Are we to the point where we can finally say, “Something’s GOT to change! I can’t go on like this?” If so, believe it or not, that’s a good place to be…because change is most possible when we are all-in. Let’s look at the unproductive cause/effect cycle and see how we can change this program that is on repeat.

Do these look and sound familiar?

• 
  “Hey!”
• “Ahhhhhhhhhh!”
• “Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmmy, I need ___.”
• “I hate you!”
• “Sissy hit me!”
• “Look at that truck [squirrel, mess, etc]!!!!”
• “Waaaaaaaaa! [sniffle, sniffle, with a pouty lip]

These are the manipulative tricks our sweet little beloved children have learned in order to get their parent’s undivided attention. They have learned what buttons to push, when to push them, and what props/people are around them to use in order to maximize the dramatic effect. But don’t we all do some version of these when we have needs that we fear are not going to be met? Whether the need is for a hug, to be heard, to be told that we are loved/respected, to feel safe, to be valued or accepted, or whether we just need a sandwich, our human (or animal) programming is to act-out toward those around us in order to have that perceived need met. But what if we could learn another, more productive option. What if we accessed our Master Reprogrammer, not only to fix the cause/effect cycle, but to reverse or transform it completely. 

If you have seen the movie The Matrix, (spoiler alert) Neo has discovered that everything he believed to be true was, in fact, a computer program that just played out his daily life in his mind. Once Neo discovered the truth, he became a threat to this Matrix, and he became a target of the main program enforcer, Agent Smith. If you recall, whoever was around Neo when he was in the Matrix could be used as a host for Agent Smith to come and try to delete Neo from the program. 

Like Agent Smith and Neo in The Matrix, the people around us who have not yet fully surrendered to Yeshua are available to the spiritual forces who consider us a threat, in order to get us off track and to bury us in fear, guilt, and shame when we react in an attempt to have our needs met by those around us. Our panic buttons are plentiful, and those Agent Smiths are standing at the ready to push ALL of our buttons at once. 

You see, we have been trying to operate out of emptiness and brokenness, with nothing left to give. We are riddled with insecurities, lies we are believing about ourselves or others, unreasonable expectations, fears, and guilt. Here we sit, thinking that our spouses or our kids, or our coworkers or bosses, should be helping to fix the problem (and maybe they should be, but we can’t control them…only ourselves), and also wondering why WE can’t fix the situation. Well, BECAUSE WE AREN’T MEANT TO. We need Yeshua to fix the situation, but we hold on, white-knuckled in fear, trying to control what we have no business controlling. And, needless to say, we are failing miserably in all our efforts to control and/or fix the situation.

We have to “bend the spoon” and realize that our perceived need is not as it seems. Even if every need we ever had was met by the most perfect human being, we would still be lacking because what we really need is Yeshua. When we can notice we are reacting out of a need, then we can begin go to Yeshua to help us allow Him to meet that need. He can help us prioritize time with Him and set healthy boundaries in our relationships. He can help us learn to forgive those around us quickly when they have allowed themselves to become Agent Smiths, and help us surrender them to Him to deal with. As we do the simple, yet incredibly complex and difficult, task of surrendering our hurts, needs, and insecurities to Him, transformation happens. This transformation will be noticed by our family and others around us.  They will notice that their manipulative tactics don’t work so often anymore.  They will see an example of how to prioritize spending time with Yeshua, and they will see us learning how to deal patiently with people around us because we are trusting Yeshua to meet our needs… and gradually, those people will also be transformed. 

You see, it isn’t by preaching the Truth of The Matrix, or setting the rules and laws of the Program to people that sets people free. It is by the impact that is made when they see us choosing to plug into the True power source, and the transformation that they see in our lives as our fears, perceived needs, and hurts are remedied by Him that makes them want to try the “red pill” and to find the Truth we have in Yeshua. We can’t control the actions and attempted manipulations of others, but WE CAN surrender to Yeshua, let Him meet our needs, and see those around us transformed as a result. The cause/effect cycle of manipulation → reaction, is now reversed to become knowing Yeshua → peace. Let’s choose to turn ourselves over to the Master Reprogrammer, and to begin the process of making us impervious to the Agent Smith attempts around us. 

Yeshua, please help me to come to you first thing, last thing, and all the times in between. Help me to know you better, trust you more and more, and to welcome you into the areas of need in my life, to begin transforming me with your peace.