From C.S. Lewis on the subject of our choices--
"Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state of the other.”
We are studying Ruth 1 in Bible study right now, and the subject of our decisions has really been upon my mind: how our choices affect others; how our seemingly inconsequential choices can shape our destiny; and how we are all only one choice away from a new beginning.
It's so true--each good decision we make--no matter how small--somehow makes the next good decision just a tiny bit easier. But on the other hand, every sinful or selfish choice we make often proves to be a slippery slope that slides us deeper and deeper into a pit of sin or discouragement or defeat.
So often, the only answer is to start where we are. Start small. But start. Stop delaying. Stop making excuses for our crummy attitude or our poor self-discipline or our lack of love and kindness or our prideful jealousy or ingratitude.
Sometimes, we just need to decide to start with that one small choice to die to ourself and refuse to share that gossip or indulge in that pity-party. Maybe today we begin with the decision to do what God has called us to do on this day--despite our feelings. Just for today--don't worry about tomorrow, but do it today. Or if we're really stuck in a pit of despair, perhaps we simply make the choice, as Elizabeth Elliot used to say, to "Do the next thing." Even if that just means getting up and making the bed.
If we will take one tiny step of obedience, we will find that our relentlessly pursuing God--like the Father in Jesus' story of the prodigal son--is already running towards us to help us take the next step.
But it all begins with one step. One choice. One decision to obey--even if it's a tiny one. After all, we serve a Lord who loves to take our teensy, insignificant bits and pieces and multiplies them beyond anything we can imagine.
O Father, help us this day to choose wisely. Help us to choose You today. Even if we start small, help us to start. To God be the glory.
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