Decisions, Decisions
I think the most challenging thing we have to do in this life is make decisions.
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect. - Romans 11:33-12:2
Think about how many different paths our lives could have taken, if each decision we have made had gone another way.
When we look back at the decisions we have made, we can't help but think we would have wound up in a different place had we changed just one choice for another.
If I hadn't taken that particular job, I would not have met my future wife, for example. Those decisions have obvious impact, but even the small ones could have set us off on a different path.
In fact, we have no way of knowing how significant each decision is, at the time we make it.
So, who can say which choice is aligned with the will of God and which is not? Paul tells us to try to discern these things, but the revelation may only happen after the fact, and sometimes years later.
I happen to believe that if we are not intentionally trying to move away from God with our choices, but we stray from His will, God will meet us where we wind up regardless of our choices.
Jesus has told us that. He is always with us, and we can always turn to Him.
So, perhaps the choices we make are not so important after all. At least, they may not lead us too far astray to cause us to be lost.
But, we should take each one seriously, so a minor decision today, could impact those we care about, and that should be considered when we make it.
God may be all forgiving, but all His children are not.
More to come...