That I Should Choose

Pretty quickly in life we start realizing that we all have choices to make –and we better make good ones, because they all have consequences. When I worked at camp, our leadership always sent us off on our free week-ends with the slogan, “Make good choices! Remember whom you represent!”  But how can we do just that, make good choices?

I just wrapped up a study on weight loss and exercise through a Biblical perspective, and I was amazed by how many lessons could be applied to life in general. One of these was on decision-making. In the study’s context, decision-making revolved around food choices. But in life, decision-making revolves around…everything. So I put together a little “discernment test” from my study and reflection that we can apply to just that: everything.

• ·         Develop a habit of continually renewing your mind

Romans 12:1-2 is pretty clear on that: how do we become more like Christ? We fill our minds with His Words which are found in Scripture. The more we become like Christ, the more we think as He should and in accordance to His will. In other words, it will become easier to discern wisely in decision-making. Roy Disney once said that “It’s not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.” This is true, but we all know how quickly Satan likes to have us forget what our values are! One way to fight him in this area is to renew our minds daily because part of renewing your mind is discovering who you are in Christ now. As we discover this new identity, we become filled with a desire to protect it, motivating us for wholesome choices.

• ·         Ask yourself if this decision is beneficial

When faced with a decision, we should honestly ask ourselves if it will benefit us, our testimony, or even the spreading of the Gospel  -rather than if it is “lawful” to us. We have freedom in Christ (Gal. 5:1), and we so quickly like to claim this liberty! But we also forget that we are not to abuse this liberty or use it to damage Christ’s name or others’ outlook towards the Gospel (I Peter 2:16). One way to test if it is truly beneficial is to consider if it is placing us into another kind of bondage (I Cor. 6:12). For example, will giving in to this food temptation only lead to my slavery to it?

• ·         Love God and love people

Matthew 22:36-40 explains that the greatest commandment is love for God and love for people, so does this decision reflect that love? Is it purely, sincerely motivated by this love? We are to exemplify Christ in all we do –and Christ was “obedient unto death” (Phil. 2:8) because He loved His heavenly Father and He loved people. Our decisions should reflect that kind of love –and we cannot love like that without His help and without renewing our minds.

“Trusting in the Lord means every decision you make is done with Him in mind.” Bernita Weston’s words echo loudly as I finish this post. Our decisions should reflect our trust in Jesus! Rather than motivated by legalism or personal achievement, our hearts can now reach for prayerful choices led by the Holy Spirit and His Word. Finally, we should remember and find encouraging comfort in the truth that He PROMISES that He will keep in perfect peace those whose mind is focused on Him (Isaiah 26:3), even in the midst of tough, fog-immersed decision-making.

Another Opportunity to Grow

Big or small, the things that challenge us are allowed in our lives for probably more reasons than we can imagine or even will know about until glory. We don’t say for nothing that “God works in mysterious ways.” In our twenty-first century Western World, many of us enjoy mostly carefree childhoods without much awareness of the word “trial.” However, sooner or later, and sooner for some, suddenly our visions of perfect worlds and fairy-tales are shattered by the hard truth of life: trials happen –and they shake everyone. For some, financial distress rocks their boat while others face mind-blowing illness or tragedy. Many face seasons of life they do not particularly like: a job they need but detest; seemingly endless lack of friendships; sacrifices for diligence in a career, degree, family, or goal. Anything can be a trial for someone under the right circumstances –and trials vary from person to person and have different appearances. Yet, all can be for the glory of God and can serve as opportunities to know Him more, become more like Him, and spread His Word.

How shall we then approach this life reality that like a vicious, merciless disease, affects us all at one point or another? 

As believers, we should view trials as opportunities –not as get-rich-quick-schemes but as beautiful stories of redemption and victory by the blood and name of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 12:1-15 is just one passage from God’s Word that illuminates us on this reaction to trials.

Lay aside every weight and sin (v.1) –we don’t often realize how out of shape we are unless we start exercising or preparing for a physical goal of any kind; only then we begin more diligently eliminating certain negative dietary practices. I believe the same concept in life applies too: we do not necessarily notice our lack of spiritual endurance or discipline until trials come our way. A major part of seeing trials as opportunities is recognizing our need to cast some things out of our lives or adopt new ones. I find it interesting that the writer of Hebrews seemed to make a distinction between a “weight” and a “sin.” This suggested separation leads me to believe that a “weight” is probably typically not a sin –just something bogging us down in growth or endurance in our faith. Weights can be difficult to admit or give up…

Run with patience (v. 1) –oh, patience, the “mother of all virtues,” no wonder! One of my best friends and I often clamor about how easily patience has become a mother.
When we think of a patient person, we often envision a very positive, emotionally strong individual, full of grace and joy. That’s who we are supposed to be, even in trials. A definition I found on patience included the following: “state of endurance.” This description brings to mind a need to pace ourselves, to train –and to be sacrificial. Ouch. Maybe that’s why we struggle so much with patience!

Looking unto Jesus (v. 2) –this is one of my favorite parts of this passage. Verse 2 calls Him the “author and finisher” of my faith. This is so powerful: He is not only the One who has saved me from my sinful nature and destructive self –but He is also going to accompany me during the rest of my journey, transforming me one trial at a time. After all, “I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). I AM SURE. He is absolutely faithful when He calls (I Thess. 5:24). Not only is He our Author and Finisher, but He is also our ultimate example for perseverance through trials: He endured even the cross (Heb. 12: 2-3) because He had the long-term, eternal goal and reward in mind (Phil. 2:8).

Remember who you are: a child of God (v. 4-10) –He punishes and refines those who belong TO HIM. Whether your trials are your punishment or not, they are always there for your refinement (v. 11-15). Only, you have to choose to let them be just that. You can literally become better (more like Jesus) or bitter (v. 15). This reassurance reminds me a lot of Jeremiah 29 where the Jews were in captivity because of their sin; yet God encouraged them to continue LIVING, while they waited for their deliverance. This same concept still applies: make the most of every season, even those of trial, called or uncalled for. Our trials can yield to great transformation but we must look to Jesus for this (James 1:2-5). In fact, we can even GLORY in them because of how God can use them in our lives (Rom. 5:3-5) –and because even just going through them brings us closer to the One who went through the cross (Rom. 5:6; Heb. 12:2-3; Matt. 16:24; Phil. 2:5-6; etc.). We will thus be in the will of God (Rom. 12:2), which is “more important than life itself” (B. Hughes), as displayed so powerfully in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to offer eternal deliverance and immediate joy (Matt. 26:36-46).

So I leave you with this:

“Lay aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily trip us, and let us run with patience the race that is before us, looking unto Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1-2).