I have often been inspired with the topic of choices, especially when I am at the crossroad of needing to make another important decision that will affect the success of my spiritual life. It has helped me to look the situation, or the struggle, “straight in the eye” and to clearly understand the result of my choices. What do I really desire? Do I really want to choose my selfish rights? Even after I compare them to God’s love, mercy, and peacefulness?
When it seems we have prayed the same prayer long enough and feel we should see some results, we are at the point of making a choice. You can say, “Lord, You do not love me; I will find my own way of making this situation come to pass,” or you can say, “Lord, Your ways are higher than my ways—I do not understand why time continues to pass and this situation does not improve, but You can see the past, present, and future, and I will trust that You have the best in mind for me and my life. In Your time, Lord.”
Many other choices are so “daily,” and maybe we do not put much thought into how we are making them. Even if we do not consciously make a choice, we are still choosing. If we do not put forth the effort to choose distinctly one way or the other, we are still choosing.
So the truth of the matter is that we cannot get around this obstacle of choices. Everyone with the ability to think and reason is faced with decisions and choices. May we choose to put God first.
Pray for those who are at the crossroad facing the most serious decision of their lives—the choice that will affect the destiny of their souls. “Which way should I go? To the right or to the left?” Choose light, choose peace, choose God. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh. 24:15).
Following are some choices we can make: By not choosing God, we choose to serve Satan. By not choosing to love others more than ourselves, we choose selfishness. By not choosing to surrender to God’s will, we choose self-destruction. By not choosing to accept ourselves, change, and circumstances, we choose depression. By not choosing to read the Bible, we choose spiritual weakness. By not choosing to pray daily, we choose to fight alone.
By not choosing to sing, we choose to be uninspired. By not choosing to worship on Sunday, we choose to go hungry. By not choosing to share our hearts with others, we choose to miss a blessing. By not choosing to accept advice, we choose to build a wall. By not choosing to forgive, we choose to be offended. By not choosing to be patient, we choose a sour countenance. By not choosing to be kind, we choose to hurt.
By choosing God, we choose to serve the all-knowing, all-wise, and almighty Creator of heaven and earth. By choosing to love others more than ourselves, we choose to feel loved. By choosing to surrender to God’s will, we choose contentment. By choosing to accept ourselves, change, and circumstances, we choose peace. By choosing to read the Bible, we choose spiritual strength. By choosing to pray daily, we choose to allow God to fight for us.
By choosing to sing, we choose to be inspired. By choosing to worship on Sunday, we choose to be fed. By choosing to share our hearts with others, we choose to be blessed. By choosing to accept advice, we choose to build confidence. By choosing to forgive, we choose to love again. By choosing to be patient, we choose a happy countenance. By choosing to be kind, we choose to heal.
Messenger of Truth, 2016, No. 7
