Projection

Projection is something that all of us do. Projection is something that all of us have experienced. It's when someone has something going on in their life and they feel powerless to deal with it. So they find an area where they feel they have some level of power and express anger or frustration.

When projection happens it almost always feels out of left field.

People project about all kinds of things. Most often I have found that it is in relation to some person who they feel is in power over them (a parent or a boss). They feel powerless to confront the person and as a result they lose it with you or me.

The hardest part in all of this is that I do it too. I project stuff. Sadly, it's most often directed at my wife or kids. When something is going on at work I get short with them. That's projection.

Knowing this has helped me to be much more patient with other people. When someone is just rude and mean for no reason, I assume there's something else going on behind the scenes. It helps me to love by faith in the moment. It also helps me to self diagnose areas where I need to keep short accounts with people. If I'm being unreasonable with Amy or the kids I know that I need to check my heart and look for some area where there is unresolved conflict.

We all project. It's like emotional projectile vomiting. It's gross. But, having an idea about why it's happening helps us to love well and to check our own brokenness.