Over the years, how have your choices become more mature and wise? Have your choices improved?
I’m still amazed how sinful we (me) really are. If we are truly honest, we are selfish, judgmental, unforgiving and talk a good, moral and spiritual game. Yet we continue to do things that are not in our best interest.
The prophet Jeremiah once said; “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV) Meaning, we may be self-deceived thinking we are good, yet may not be as good as we think.
The only way we can have our heart accurately diagnosed concerning self-deception is from an outside source.
The truth is, we make choices that may not be sinful, but are unwise. Some are simply sinful.
God said through the prophet Jeremiah: “I see everything they do. They cannot hide from me the things they do; their sin is not hidden from my eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17 NCV)
So what does God do with our sinful choices?
God told the Israelites “I decide your fate, and I will punish you with my sword. You will all be killed, because I called you, but you refused to answer. I spoke to you, but you wouldn’t listen. You did the things I said were evil and chose to do things that displease me.” (Isaiah 65:12 NCV)
There’s a way out.
Buried in the verse above is an invitation. God said “I call”. He said “I spoke to you”. God called and spoke to us - and loved us so much, he gave his Son Jesus Christ to live the perfect life and die for our sins - past, present and future. Christ is our way out. Christ died for us while we were in sin. (Romans 5:8)
When we accept this calling from God, He now sees us through a different lens. He sees us relying on Jesus Christ for forgivenss and salvation. All we have to do is confess, repent (change) and seek His forgiveness.
It’s our choice to accept Christ. It’s our choice to confess our shortcomings and sin. It’s our choice to change and repent. It’s our choice to seek forgiveness. And it’s our choice to ask God and others for help.
In the end, we reap what we sow. (Galatians 6:7) What kind of seeds do we sow? Our choices have consequences.
Today is a great day to draw a line in the sand, write “start” and try to finish well. And when we mess up - and we will. Just draw another line. When we are old, we’ll look back and see all the lines. We won’t be where we want, but we won’t be where we were. That’s a great feeling.
There is nothing better than being free from poor choices. It simply feels good to give life our best effort. There is nothing like wise counsel, and great books (and the Bible) to help us learn a better way. And there is nothing better than coming clean with God, others and ourself.
LORD, help us be honest with ourself. Help us follow you, Christ and the Holy Spririt. Holy Spirit help us move forward with good choices and seek help from others. Help us make our wrongs right and give life our best. IJNIP amen ♥️
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