“In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Proverbs 16:9
Yes or no? Today or tomorrow? This house or that one? Cherry pie or Chocolate cake?
Life is a series of choices, decisions. There can be a lot of factors that go into some choices and maybe just a tummy rumble or glance of our eye for another choice. No matter the choice made, there is only one person responsible for that choice, ourselves.
I recall days when I was sitting in life situations I didn’t want to be in and it was easy to blame someone else. Now as a mom, I receive the blame for about everything that can go wrong, from a spill, to a toy gone missing, to even greater things….
Parenting has given me some great perspective on choices. It has also given me perspective on how painful it is to be blamed for other people’s choices when I am just available to help clean up a choice I didn’t make in the first place. It has made me reflect on times that I may have blamed someone for a choice I was making unfairly. At the end of the day, our choices are our own choices.
“Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both ‘Yes, yes’ and ‘No, no’?” 2 Corinthians 1:17
Accountability is something we have been working hard on in our home for some time. Taking responsibility for our own actions, acknowledging our mistakes, and taking steps to make things right. What I have found to be true in each difficult situation where chaos seems to take over is this:
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” James 3:16
I recall a very humbling time in my life. I was quite pregnant and in turmoil over the status of my marriage and my husband’s faith. I decided to sit with a counselor to talk it out, feeling like a total failure. She did affirm much of the frustration I was sharing, but laced in the frustration, she picked up on a “selfish ambition,” I hadn’t realized I had. She didn’t even call it that, but I can look with new eyes and see it now. She asked, “Do you think it is your job to bring your husband to God?” Her tone made me feel like a big fool, so I said, “Well, no.” But the entire way home I realized, YES, I had taken that responsibility on. In doing that, I was setting myself up for failure, him up for failure, and making myself very unhappy and frustrated in the process. I had to be responsible for my own choices and let he be responsible for his own choices. Period. Then, based on those choices, make my next best choice.
I have witnessed many others do these same things, sit in situations longer than have served their purpose and blame another for that choice. Why do we do this? I think there are a lot of reasons:
- We want to love the people in our life well when we think we know what is best for them… but, “the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15
- We are afraid of taking the next step and going at it alone… but, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
- We are busy and don’t want to take time for “change”… but, “Don’t put it off; do it now!” Proverbs 6:4
- Fear of failing if we make the wrong choice… but, “though you may stumble, you will not fall, for the Lord upholds you with His hand.” Psalm 37:24
- Afraid of losing something that matters to us right now… but, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life. Luke 18: 29-30
- Lack of self-confidence… but, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
- Unsure where the decision may lead… but, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Not wanting to “look bad” to others… but, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Galatians 1:10
Today, whatever the reason is that you have not made a choice that you need to make, make it.
The image I share today is me standing at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. On one side, Lake Itasca on the other, the river begins. Sometimes life is like that, choose the lake? Or jump in a boat and head downstream wherever God leads….Once you commit to the choice and start moving forward, everything will start flowing and falling in place for once we step out of the way of God, He can let blessings abound and make all things new! (Later that fall, I actually did end up downstream at the Gulf of Mexico!)
I have a wall decoration that says this: “For He will command His angels to protect you wherever you go.” Psalm 91:11 When you act and move on behalf of God, you have an army of protection around you, believe!
Making choices with you, Julie
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Choices
Show me the next step I should take.