I have made many wrong choices in life. What baffles me about many of those choices, is that at the time I thought I was making the right choice. Often I was trusting my own judgement. Others would try to advise me, but I would do what I wanted. Many times we make choices according to our feelings. This is very dangerous because we can't trust our feelings alone. Many of my wrong choices in life were based on feelings. It felt "right", it seemed "right", etc...
The Bible says," There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."
Proverbs 14:12
Many of the wrong choices we have made seemed right at the time, but in the end had negative results. When I reflect on the wrong choices I had made in life before I became a follower of Jesus, even then, though it felt right, something way deep down inside of me knew it wasn't the right choice to make, but I went ahead and did what I wanted based on feeling.
Even though I still continue to make wrong choices in life and am far from perfect, I would like to share with you a few things that have helped me from making choices based on what just seemed right and just trusting my own judgement. As a follower of Jesus I have the Bible. Even though the Bible seems to be grey in some areas, in other areas it is pretty black and white between what is right and what is wrong.
I have to remember that when I follow God's way, HE IS NOT TRYING TO RUIN MY LIFE OR TAKE ALL THE FUN OUT OF LIFE, HE WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR ME!!!
A child may cry because they want more candy or cookies, but a parent knows that just giving the child what they want is not in the child's best interest. Many people think God is too restrictive, but when we look back on our lives we will see that His commands are there for us to have the life that we have longed for deep down inside. Remember that we are told that as followers of Jesus we will experience an abundant life.
As followers of Jesus we have the Holy Spirit. He will guide us into all truth. Let me say that He will guide, but He will not force. When we are about to make a choice that is not right, The Holy Spirit will let us know, but we have to be willing to listen to that "still small voice".
We have the patience of God. When we make a wrong choice He doesn't just strike us down. I am so thankful for the patience and grace of God. The Church in Thyatira had someone who was involved in some things that they shouldn't have been and Jesus said in the Book of Revelation:
I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.
Revelation 3:21
I am so thankful for all the times in my life in which God gave me time to repent of wrong actions. Sadly just like the woman mentioned in the Church in Thyatira God gave me time to repent but I did not want to repent of my immorality. I am sure we can all relate to that at some point in our life.
The last thing that I would like to mention in this post is that when we make a wrong choice, which is often based on our own judgement andled by our feelings, and we haven't responded to what we know deep down inside, or the prompting of the Holy Spirit, God will then "out of love" begin to discipline us.
This is where many people get upset with God. A God made in our image is no god at all. The God made in our image will let us do whatever we want. But that is not the God of the Bible. He loves us too much to just let us do whatever we want without attempting to try to lead us back on the right path. Just as a good parent will give their children opportunity to change their wrong action before they discipline, so does God. His discipline is actually Him showing His love for us and that we belong to Him. To allow our child to do things that aren't right without disciplining them only shows a lack of love on our part. The reason you don't discipline other children is because they don't belong to you.
We belong to God and He will do all He can to keep us on the right path, including discipline. Everyone who is a follower of Jesus has experienced His discipline because none of us are perfect.
You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin ; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM. 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES." 7 It is for discipline that you endure ; God deals with you as with sons ; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline ? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live ? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful ; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:4-11
As I mentioned earlier I have made many wrong choices in my life. Many of those choices were based on feelings. Since I have been a follower of Jesus I have made wrong choices, hopefully I am not making as many and I am not being led by just my feelings to make a decision. But I am not perfect and so when I make a wrong choice God attempts to get my attention through His Word. He has the Holy Spirit try to get my attention. Through the whole process He is full of mercy, grace and patience. If I don't respond to His promptings He will discipline me.
As we go through life let us continue to follow Jesus. Let us trust His way and not our own judgement when it comes to life's choices..His way is best. He knows what is best for our lives. Remember He loves us so much that He was willing to be crucified for us so that we wouldn't be stuck in our sin. He is full of love and He is faithful.
Thank you Lord for Your grace over our lives. Thank you for loving us with an everlasting love. Help us to follow Your ways. Help us to respond to Your leadings.
Amen.
Troy
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