Week Twenty-Six - Your Choice

Have you ever been caught between a rock and a hard place? It's a tricky spot when both sides of the situation look too hard to handle, and there seems to be no easy way out, no simple solution, no happy outcome. These difficult decisions and challenging circumstances blind us as we struggle to see the way forward.

A friend shared this little blurb with me -

Marriage is hard, Divorce is hard. 

Choose your hard.
Obesity is hard, Being fit is hard. 

Choose your hard.
Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. 

Choose your hard.
Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. 

Choose your hard.
Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. 

But we can choose our hard.

We'd have to agree, life can be hard. While we wish things were easy, they rarely are. As I thought about the idea of choosing my hard, I had to remind myself that anything of real value requires effort. A good marriage takes work. Staying fit and being disciplined in spending involves dedicated self-control. Working through misunderstandings means risk and swallowing our pride. The hardness of either side is equal. Both sides hold dangers and pitfalls, but our choices remain our own and determine the outcome and the reward. 

While I pondered on this, another challenge popped up. Instead of focusing on reaching specific goals, how would things change if you focused on how you worked toward those goals?

I got to feeling like the Lord was picking on me. I had just begun accepting hard choices as beneficial when he got more pointed. Let me see if I can explain. Around my computer screen are little notes. No, rather large notes, stating my goals and even to-do items that move me toward them. But I tend to be inconsistent. I brainstorm on paper, pin it up, feel good about the ideas, and then go play Candy Crush.

Instead of following through with the hard decisions that will move me forward, I daydream. I need to choose my hard and make a more concerted effort to do the things that will move me forward consistently. Otherwise, disappointment will haunt me, opportunities could be missed, and the blame would lay squarely on my shoulders.

That's quite a bit of honesty for me to put on paper, but I want you to know you are not the only one who struggles with self-motivation and discipline. What are we to do?

I came to this. God gives the increase, but he can't increase what I'm not putting out. So, if I move steadily forward, he multiplies my effort. My responsibility is faithfully taking the next step, making the next hard choice, doing what I know I should do, and leaving the rest to him.

And when it comes to my choices, wisdom dictates I first compare my hard to God's Word. There, I find strength, encouragement, and perseverance. My hard will not last forever. But if I make poor choices, I turn an already difficult situation into something seemingly impossible to bear. For me, I'd rather choose the hard that keeps me inside God's will and design. I feel too vulnerable stepping outside of that!

What hard choices are you facing? Are you making and acting upon wise choices that move you forward, or are you daydreaming? Take the advice of this little song and keep moving forward looking for God to increase your efforts.

One step at a time,
Only one step at a time.
That is the way the Lord will lead you,
One step at a time.

Take that one step carefully,
Walk that one step prayerfully.

That is the way to victory,

One step at a time.