Choose Your Own Adventure

When I was a kid, there were these books called "Choose Your Own Adventure". As you read, you would come to a point where you got to decide what would happen next. Most often, the choice would result in some tragic event, such as getting eaten by a monster or locked in a closet forever. The point of the book was for you to be an active participant in the adventure and not just "go along for the ride". It was interesting to see where your choices could lead you.

Oh the power of choice! Just recently, our world was shaken as we felt the impact of a person's choice.

Proverbs 18:21. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (NIV)

The choice was life or death, and tragically,this dear friend chose death! The ripple impact of this choice will continue for quite some time. While I cannot fully comprehend the depth of despair that brought about this choice, I can see how one choice, seemingly small, can impact the next choices. In most cases, one bad choice doesn't set you on a course of destruction, but allowing fear, doubt, and feelings of insignificance to creep in can impact how you see life and influence what you speak and ultimately how you choose.

So then, the question comes up, is God bigger? Of course, He can and will provide another option when it feels like we are drowning, but it comes back to the power of choice. Choose life!

While tragedy is one extreme of choice, there is a polar opposite--stepping fully into what God has for you and choosing to let Him direct you. Unlike the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books that were setting you up for failure, God has adventures for our own good.

Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

God has us in mind when He places decisions, dreams and passions in our lives. Sometimes He asks us to lay down what we think is best in order to give us what He knows is best, but it's for our benefit, not our detriment. However, it still boils down to our choice. . .

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.(Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV)

How many times do we take weight of these decisions upon ourselves and feel the weight of the future on our shoulders as we wrestle with what to do. Yes, there is power in our choice, but I don't believe that God desires for us to be stressed or weighted down. Instead, there is wisdom in seeking counsel and trusting that God will truly direct our steps. Does that mean we will never make a mistake? No! Does that we could miss all that God has? Not necessarily. I do believe that if we earnestly seek God, He will show us what He has in store and what our next step should be. This goes beyond our strength, our comprehension, our ideals and perhaps even our comfort zone.

I love what Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."(NLT)

So what do we know?
1. God has given us the power of choice, good or bad
2. God has plans for us, for our good
3. We can trust that God will direct our steps
4. However, we need to be willing to take that first step . . .