Our life is the result of the choices we make.
Each day we make choice after choice. We create the life we experience today – and tomorrow. We shape the reality we walk in today – and tomorrow. We set in motion the consequences we reap today – and tomorrow. We plant the hope or hurt we feel today – and tomorrow. We decide who we are – and who we will be. We determine who we can be – at our best or worst.
We declare whose we are – whether we fully belong to God or not. Because God doesn’t want only 20%, 50%, 75%, or even 99% of our heart. He wants ALL of us. He wants every hope, every wish, every dream, every desire. He wants all of our emotions, our thoughts, our motivations, our attitudes.
He especially wants all of your choices.
He wants the right to say “no” when you are not on His course.
He wants the authority to ask you to walk away from what you think you want.
He wants you to follow Him toward His best plans and purposes. No matter how much you want to do things your way. To stay home. To go out. To jump into bed. To avenge yourself. To speak up. To keep quiet. To judge. To punish. To hate.
He wants to be part of every choice. He wants to shape your today for good, which will shape your tomorrow for great. Without regret interfering. Without self-condemnation interceding. Without selfishness impeding. Without self-righteousness intimidating.
But with all our choices, how often do we choose what He wants?
How often do we decide with His best in mind?
How often do we shape our reality with His guidelines as our boundaries?
We are human, and if we are honest, we probably rarely do. Because we want to feel happy all the time. We want to be satisfied now. We think we know better.
When we really know nothing. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9). We cannot see history from its beginning. We cannot see the stars from end to end of the heavens. We cannot look back on all that has been or see ahead to all that will be. We cannot even see something simple like tomorrow.
Yet we make choices like we have all the answers, divine vision, and eternal perspective. Again, because we think we know better. But how can we know (ourselves) better than the One who created us? The One who “formed my inward parts” (Psalm 139:13a). The One who “wove me in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13b) to “fearfully and wonderfully” make us (Psalm 139:14a) as an expression of His love. The One who cherishes us as “His poetry/artwork” (Ephesians 2:10) to display His love.
But here is what we should always remember: He, and only He, knows best. So all our choices should be filtered through Him. Let your choices – ALL your choices – reflect your love and respect for Him. “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me” (Isaiah 55:2-3a).
Because when they don’t, we end up with a mess instead of His miracles.
|
HIS BEST |
OUR MESS |
| Self control – saying “no” to your body now for God’s best later | Sex – getting physically and emotionally connected (bonded) to someone without God’s boundary of marriage. Which can lead to sex slavery, STD’s, and single parenthood. It also makes it difficult to end a relationship not sanctified by God. |
| Saving Grace – allowing His grace to guide us away from sin | Saving face – justifying our mistakes instead of owning our sins |
| Accepted through God’s Love – knowing you are always loved by God | Appearance and Popularity – feeling loved only when accepted by people |
| Repentance – acknowledging and being sorry about your sin | Blame – making our problems someone else’s fault instead of taking responsibility for our reactions and choices |
| Relationship / Devotion – spending time with God and getting to know Him because you want to | Rules – living by “have to” and “must” mindsets to earn God’s love. Diverts us from knowing His love as it really is because we are always focused on doing our standard of “good” (enough) |
| Resting in Him – allowing yourself to find peace in His love | Running – chasing the latest fad, fashion, and trend to create love and acceptance in your life |
| Endurance / Patience – considering your choices and allowing yourself to go without now for something better later | Now – going after and seeking the quick fix and instant gratification so you can have now what you think is good. But now never fully satisfies, and you always need more to feel fulfilled and happy |
| Revelation and Growth – hearing His truth. Applying it to your life and letting it inform your choices | Stuck – we choose to tune out God’s whisper of truth and ignore His heart prompt of right. So we get stuck in what think is good and misdirected by what we want to be right. |
| Faith as Your Foundation – living with (full) confidence in God | Feelings – living with your ever-changing emotions as your guide. Living by what you want, what you think, and what you feel. |
| Being Firmly Planted – choosing what is right, no matter what it costs us | Double minded – choosing Him only when it is convenient for us |
| Sacrifice / Serving – stepping out of your comfort zone and possibly being uncomfortable to help someone else | Selfishness – choosing yourself and your wants over His best and His boundaries. Allowing yourself to be bewitched away from Him by choosing you first instead of Him. |
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
See what God does? He always gives us the choice. He always allows us to choose Him. He never forces us in any way, shape, or form.
So today you can choose Him.
For the first time.
For the first time in a long time.
For a new start.
For a continued fellowship.
Whatever you choose, make your choice a good one. Consider His best and see where He will take you.
Marie Fremin. 3/12/17
Marie's Hope 