It’s MY choice !!!

By: Rex A. Lones

I have struggled many years with making the right choice. Isn’t that what life is about? They say that we make in excess of 10,000 choices every day. Our brain begins this exercise the moment it awakens every morning. Our first thought is usually “What time is it ?” or  “Do I want  (or need) to get up?”   Then the process begins. Which foot hits the floor first, do I need to go to the bathroom, am I hungry? Many of these “choices” are just standard responses of our conscious brain beginning its daily routine. Those are easy!

What about the more complicated decision’s we are forced to make? The one’s that require thought, reasoning and are filtered through our sense of right and wrong? What is a good choice anyway? Good choices are decisions that keep you heading in the right direction. Bad choices, on the other hand, end up being counterproductive and can quickly begin spiralling into stress, confusion, and despair. Some of the trickiness of choice-making arises with options that may be pleasing in the short-term but may prove to be hazardous in the long run.

The most fundamental consideration with choice-making is to ensure the choices we make are congruent with the personal values and important goals we have established for ourselves. If we have the goal of having a successful career and healthy family life, then making decisions to party excessively with late nights of drugs and alcohol (temporal gratification), will likely lead to later discontent and misery regardless of how “good” it feels now. By taking a moment to consider the possible outcomes of any decision, we could save ourselves a lot of heartache.

Most of us want to believe that we are pretty good at making responsible choices but many times we come up against a choice that causes us to stop and pause. When this happens, the obvious choice is not necessarily that easy to find. That’s when we have to rely on what we call our conscience to guide us. For the Christian, our conscience is that part of us that walks hand in hand with God’s spirit. In fact, it is God’s Spirit Himself that guides us when we seek His counsel. “Walk according to the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh” Galatians 5:16.   Most of the decisions we make have really nothing to do with our eternal life BUT our eternal life SHOULD influence our decisions. Once we make the decision to follow Jesus Christ, every decision we make thereafter should be filtered through what it is that God desires for us. That would be HIS will !

I am going to open a can of worms here. Many “conservative” Christians believe that God has a very specific answer to every choice we are faced with, What job to take, whom should we marry or how many children we should have. The answers would look like this; “Work at Cracker Barrel , marry Susie Johnson and have twelve kids.”  Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. It’s YOUR choice !!!   Some would argue that God even gave Lucifer the ability to choose. If not, then how was it possible for him to rebel against God’s authority? Was he not a created being as well?  Our heavenly Father gives US the opportunity to choose for ourselves because that’s the only way we can grow, learn, and become more like Him.  The test then becomes whether we will choose by filtering our choices through the very clear commandments He has given us.   Litmus test? Oh yeah !

I do believe in one VERY important principle. It comes from Colossians 3:23,24. It says,     “WHATEVER YOU DO, work at it with ALL your heart, as working for the Lord, NOT for human masters since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Even wise King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 9:10 that, “WHATEVER YOUR HAND finds to do, do it with all your might”. Solomon understood the futility of life without God ! THIS tells me that God gives us the freedom to make our own decisions as long as  loving and honoring Him is the result.

Are there correct choices that we are commanded to make? Of course there are. Here are the “Big two”.  1-“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”  2-“Love thy neighbor as thyself”  (Mark 12:30,31)  These are VERY CLEAR commands ! Simple obedience is the only proper response to these commands.

Okay then, if God does not give “very specific” answers to the questions we have in regards to the decisions we are faced with, outside these clear commands, how do we know what to do ? We  APPLY BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES ! Let me highlight just two.

The DOUBT principle and The ASSOCIATION principle.

The doubt principle says that if you are unsure as to whether a choice to do something is right or wrong, DON’T DO IT ! According to Romans 14:21 and 23, we should not engage in an activity if we are unsure as to whether it is appropriate. In fact, the Bible goes as far as to say that engaging in an activity when you are not convinced it is the right thing to do, is SIN ! (vs. 23- “But whoever doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is NOT from faith, and EVERYTHING THAT DOES NOT COME FROM FAITH IS SIN.”

The association principle says that we should not associate ourselves with that which is (or may be) inappropriate. In 1 Thessalonians 5:22 we are told to abstain from activities that have even the APPEARANCE of evil !  When people see you doing something, will they immediately think you are involved in something inappropriate for a Christian? Will it bring reproach on the name of the Lord? If so, DON’T DO IT !!!

 *Let me make an honest confession here. I have violated both these principles on numerous occasions!  I am learning ! I am growing ! Thank God for His Amazing Grace AND His Mercy !!!

Sometimes we don’t make good choices because of FEAR. Sometimes we are afraid of how God will lead us ! Step out of being led by His Spirit for even a moment and you can make a life altering choice. Our “flesh” will ALWAYS get us in trouble like that! God wants to bless us but blessings from the Lord only come through OBEDIENCE ! This is why it is so important to stay in God’s word. Let me say this for those who do not agree with my assessment. SOMETIMES God DOES speak directly to our hearts and DOES show us the right choice IMMEDIATELY! The fact that many (if not most) of us are even breathing at this very moment is due to God’s immediate and direct intervention! Has He ever saved your life? He has mine !!! (Thank you Jesus !!!)

Usually the choices we make are a result of what our hearts desire most. The Word addresses that this way. “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this.” Psalm 37:4,5   Here is how I understand those verses. He will give you the desire of your heart WHEN you desire what He knows is best! If I could go back and tell a much younger Rex that he should not do a certain thing because older Rex KNOWS what the outcome will be, I would do it because I love Rex and want only good for him. God works like this because He knows the end from the beginning and HE LOVES ME !!!  I believe that if I desire what He wants me to have then I will receive what I desire. This does NOT violate my gift of free will, it only redirects it !  Verse 5 tells us that if we “commit our desires to Him”, He will bring it to pass! It really boils down to trusting God with everything !

I choose to spend time in God’s word and get to know “His heart” and “His desires” for me.

THAT “Is MY choice!”