We
have four major choices in our journey through this distortion that we call "life."
We can follow the dictates of Satan, the world, our fleshly desires, or God's
Holy Spirit. No one can ever force a decision on us. God gave us a free will
for us to decide.
If
we follow the devil's impulses, we set our self up for ultimate failure. He
roams about the world like a roaring lion, seeking for someone to devour (1
Peter 5:8). His motive in blessing us is to eventually steal from, kill and
destroy us (John 10:10).
Satan
makes sure to disguise His extermination of us with sweet treats and pleasant
promises. We fall for the lies and poor image of our self that He plants in our
mind; and we slowly spiral into depression, anxiety and self-destruction
through our addictions.
If
we take another option and choose the way of the world, we are puppets of the business
conglomerates' ever-changing whims of fashion and formulas for success. We live
by the dictates of the media, and we amass worldly goods that end up being
chains of bondage around our neck.
We
devour self-help books in order to find a way to improve our self, get that
promotion, and find some semblance of inner peace. We flit around like social
butterflies, changing friends, places of employment, addresses, and the car we
drive, etc. - all to impress other people and to feel good about our self.
Another
possibility is to live in order to satisfy our human desires, following our
human reasoning and the directives of our latest moods and earthly cravings. We
use every diet and exercise gimmick formed by man to keep a body of which we
can be proud.
However,
we are never satisfied. We jump from one discovery to another in our attempt to
meet our perceived physical, mental, emotional and financial needs. We end up
in poor health, and taking medication with side-effects that ruin our life inch
by inch.
Our
soul is sick from our lack of fulfillment, which causes us to decline in body as
well as our soul. So what are we to do? How do we to not only survive, but also
truly succeed in finding fulfillment on this side of Eternity?
The
answers are found in our fourth and best major choice in life, and are provided
by God's Holy Spirit. First through salvation in Jesus Christ (John 3:16-18),
and then by His Spirit teaching us His Truth, as God provides for our needs
from His gracious abundance (John 16:13).
Prayer:
Father
God, You allow us a free will to either barely survive or abundantly excel
through this path called "life". You stand back and endure the grief
of watching us - Your beloved creation - destroy our self, one decision at a
time. Yet, You constantly call us by Your Spirit, encouraging us with Your love
and blessings, to totally surrender our life to Your constant care.
When
we do, we hear Your loving kindness each new morning. We give You our undivided
attention, so that You can lead us in the way that we should go every step of
our life. You deliver us from our enemies and cause us to run to the safety You
provide for us (Psalm 91:1-4). Teach us how to avoid the trappings of the
devil, the world and our flesh (Psalm 143:8-10).
Thought
for the Day:
God
gives us abundant life (John 10:10), regardless of our circumstances, as well
as the wisdom and the will to walk in His ways each moment of the day
(Philippians 2:12-13); therefore, we quickly eliminate anything in life that
clouds our vision of Christ in us, or makes us hesitant to spend daily time in
His Word, or discourages us from a place of Christian service.
