Options.
A wonderful thing to have.
A, sometimes, paralyzing thing to have.

We each go through a process of making decisions to – hopefully – make wise and profitable choices.
So far, how is your process working for you?

God gave us an incredible gift when He CHOSE to create us in His image.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Genesis 1:26a (ESV)

I’m convinced He CHOSE to pass along this ability to CHOOSE when He placed Adam and Eve in the garden with the tree, whose fruit would ultimately change humanity forever.

Why would God do this?
Wouldn’t it be easier to have left anything that was forbidden – out of the garden?

God shows us over and over that He has chosen us to follow Him…to know Him…and to spend an eternity in heaven with Him.
He certainly could have eliminated our choices, but instead, he gave us options.

We can choose to know God…or not.
We can choose to love or hate…
…forgive or condemn…
…serve others or expect others to serve us…
…aspire to something noble or completely give up.

How are you choosing between your options?
Have you prayed about them?
Has God already shared wisdom about your options in His Word, the Bible?

Today, we often struggle with the many choices we have to make…sometimes with anticipation and sometimes with fear.
Have you ever thought that you might have better options than you considered?

Over time, I’ve discovered that my options often reflect a few different dynamics…

1. How much time am I spending with God in prayer and reading the Bible?
2. Who am I spending most of my time with? Those who you are around often influence your options.
3. What do I spend my time focusing on…is it depressing or uplifting? (FYI, this is often influenced by #1 and #2)
4. Do I have trustworthy people to help me evaluate my decisions?

Options are a wonderful gift from our creator.
Will we make the most of the options that God has given us?

Mark
Lead Pastor