The Perspective To See Benefits Of Difficulty预览

Lord, Show Me My Choices

A victim is someone who has no choices. Even in the most frightening of circumstances, there are still choices available to us. How will I respond to tragedy? What will I say? What will I do? Terrible circumstances limit our choices, but nothing can completely silence them.

Perhaps we should start praying that God would show us our choices. Pray that He would empower our ability to see Him, to choose a perspective in alignment with His, and own the journey He has entrusted us to.

The Bible tells us about a time when Ezra led a group of Jews to Israel and found out that they had disobeyed God. The Bible says that when he found out what the Jews had done, he ripped his clothes off in despair. He was devastated and wept. The people then tell Ezra, “Rise up, this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” He confessed the sins of Israel before God, then braved the opposition of some of his own countrymen. By the end of the book, Israel had renewed its covenant with God and had begun acting in obedience to Him. It took courage from Ezra, but it was his choices that helped him get the people back to obedience with God. 

It is tempting to run from our choices. To feel as though the circumstances are so stacked against us that we cannot choose our way out. As if our choices are not good enough.

God calls us to participate in His Kingdom. Seeing the world, our circumstances, our daily tasks, and our relationships by the light of His Son is an option available to us daily. We are looking for shortcuts, easy answers, for someone to just do the thing for us. 

Our choices are powerful and they matter in the Kingdom of God. The Lord will bless you with circumstances and manifestations of His Goodness. He will also bless you with choices.

Every day, we are faced with a myriad of decisions. In the midst of triumph and pain and apathy, there are choices to be made. Choices about our perspective. Choices about our thoughts and actions. Pray today that the Lord will show you your choices and that you might make them with courage.