Our choices have consequences
There are many choices we have to make every day: what to wear, what to eat, what to say, what to think, what to believe, how to react... Every day we have many decisions to make. And every decision has an effect on something else in my life. Some more important than others. Am I aware that some of my decisions can result in spiritual life or death?
“I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God's blessing and God's curse, and I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Choose life. Love the Lord your God, obey him and be faithful to him, and then you and your descendants will live long in the land…” Deuteronomy 30:19–20 (GNT).
It may seem impossible that something I think today will lead to death or life, but as we read in James 1:15, “…when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” That means that it doesn’t happen immediately, but it starts a process that over time leads to death. Therefore, it is very important that I am awake to catch those thoughts that would in the end destroy my whole life.
Choices in daily life
But how does it happen in real life? What if someone treats me unfairly, in a way that I didn’t deserve, maybe even humiliated me in public? It hurts deeply and I cannot understand it. How do I take this? Do I see that God gives me the choice between life and death in this situation? And that I myself have to choose which way I want to go? If I choose to love the Lord my God, obey His voice and hold fast to Him, then I will truly experience that God will give me life and energy in my spirit – peace and life in the fullest possible way! (John 10:10.)
But in Deuteronomy 30:17–18 (GNT) God also warns us of what will happen if we make a different choice: “But if you disobey and refuse to listen, and are led away to worship other gods you will be destroyed - I warn you here and now. You will not live long in that land across the Jordan that you are about to occupy.”
These “other gods” can be many things, but in this situation it could be something like my own reputation, pride, and feelings that are hurt. Becoming offended and bitter because my pride is hurt, is sin and goes against God’s will. If I choose to give in to those feelings rather than obeying God, I am serving another god, an idol.
So, if I allow the hurt and pain to take over my thoughts and heart, if I don’t want to let go of all that, then it is the beginning of a slow and painful spiritual death. Painful not only for myself, but for those around me who see it. When we talk about death, it is a death in our spirit to things of God, so they are no longer exciting or important for me. Instead, I become more alive to things of this world – those things drive me, make me excited, take over my thoughts and energy. I can still be a nice person outwardly, but something in my spirit is dead, and those who belong to God will notice this.
Is it worth it? Is it worth it to let those hurt feelings – being offended and angry – cause so much unhappiness in my life? Is it worth it to hold on to all these negative thoughts about the others: “How dare they? Why did they…?”
Or can I give all of that and my entire life into God’s hands, love Him and trust Him so completely that I stay close to Him in these times of hurt, for He is my life and He will give me life! When I don’t understand, can I bring it to Him and give all that hurt and heaviness to Him? Leave it at His feet and choose to go the other way that leads to life? Then He will pour out His blessing over me so richly that I will wonder why it was so hard to do in the first place!
Choose life!
He has promised that what He asks from us is not too hard for us or too far away from us, no matter how difficult or impossible it may seem: ”The command that I am giving you today is not too difficult or beyond your reach. It is not up in the sky. You do not have to ask, ‘Who will go up and bring it down for us, so that we can hear it and obey it?' Nor is it on the other side of the ocean. You do not have to ask, ‘Who will go across the ocean and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and obey it?' No, it is here with you. You know it and can quote it, so now obey it.” Deuteronomy 30:11–14 (GNT).
It is just a matter of doing it, in full surrender to Him! To choose it! I choose life! I choose a hopeful future! I choose to bless those who curse me, do good to those who hate me, and I choose to pray for those who speak evil about me.
I choose to do this so that I may get life, and life in the fullest possible way, because I refuse to die but I choose to live and tell what the Lord has done! (Psalm 118:17.)
