How We Decide

I have been a church goer pretty much all my life, and so that means there are verses from the Bible I have been hearing pretty much all my life. Unfortunately, if I'm not careful, those verses become washed out with their familiarity, and the power of their meaning fades away. 

Here are a couple examples of what I mean.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 Corinthians 6:19  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own

Each one of these passages challenges me in a profound way, but if I'm honest, probably not like they should. 

Consider the statements... Seek the Kingdom of God before EVERYTHING else; Equate trials with joy; it isn't me who lives and directs my life, it's Christ; My life isn't mine, it is God's.

These passages are extremely powerful, but if we don't watch carefully, they become sayings or poetry without consequence.

For the sake of todays conversation, let's focus in on the last one.

My life is not my own.

I have an opportunity in front of me, I have a decision to make, I have multiple options for my next steps... what do I do?

Do I simply weigh out the options and choose my optimal response? Do I consider others and make the decision that brings the greatest good for all? Do I take the option that seems most spiritual? Do I make the decision that seems most selfless?

I have heard many answers for circumstances like these, and I have heard many different responses. "Do what you feel is best, and love God and others as you do it." "Pray and wait until you hear an answer, God is faithful to answer our prayers" "God doesn't care so much about what you do, as much as He cares about who you are"

Each answer sounds good in its own right, but the challenge in light of passages like these ones, should certainly cause us to pause at least for a moment to consider.

At the end of all these types of discussions, there is a conclusion that we have to come to. Whatever the answer is, whatever the method of finding it, it is not ours alone to decide. 

So what choices are in front of you right now? What challenges or obstacles are you meant to face? As you face them, consider, how will you decide?