Choosing The Road Less Traveled

I often tell people that when it comes to life, our choices are quite simple: either we can get up, give up, or shut up!  Meaning, when we’re faced with tough situations, we can either choose to get up and do something about it; we can choose to give up and accept it for what it is; or we can shut up, stop complaining, and change our attitude about the situation.

         Yeah, I know that’s being quite blunt, but I don’t think it makes the statement any less true.  However, I think I may have even overstated our options when it comes to life choices.  Upon further investigation, and after doing a lot more living and learning, I’ve discovered that we really only have two options: either do things our way or God’s way.  Meaning, we can face, confront, react, handle, respond, and deal with things according to God’s way of doing things or we can do things our way.

         Over my short time on this planet, I’ve learned that God is very clear and specific about His promises to and for us…if we obey Him.  In fact, he’s not vague at all.

         He says we will be the head, not the tail; we will be the lender, not the borrower; we will be blessed in the city as well as in the field; our offspring and their offspring’s offspring will be blessed, and so on and so on.  Likewise, He’s very specific that the total opposite is true if we DO NOT obey Him.

         When I look back at my own life, I’m shocked to find that often times I choose to disobey God in spite of the negative consequences I know will occur.  I also know it’s the nature of man (humankind) to often do what feels good to us rather than what’s actually good for us, but knowing this truth doesn’t give me any comfort or justify my disobedience.  It just proves that sometimes I deliberately choose to be what I call, “stuck on stupid.”

         Even in my many missteps, I’ve noticed that God has never lied to me nor withheld a promise from me.  So for the life of me, I don’t understand why I would I ever doubt that he would spare me from the negative consequences of my disobedience?

         Like Paul (one of my biggest heroes in the Bible) said, “There is a war that rages inside of me that wants to do right, but doesn’t.  And there’s something inside of me that wants to resist evil, but doesn’t.”

         If you can relate to anything that I’m saying, I want you to join me in this little prayer, so we can “come clean” together before God, and choose to pursue the road less traveled – the road of obedience and righteousness.  Of course, I know it won’t solve all of our problems, but I think it’s at least a good first step in the right direction (at least for me). 

         So repeat after me, “God, I repent for not always doing the right thing I know I should do and for not always resisting the wrong things I know I shouldn’t do.  I know it’s my rebellious nature that refuses to surrender totally and completely to your will.  Please help me do better, and please forgive me for not allowing my ‘old nature’ to die and for preventing my ‘born again nature’ to live and express himself totally in my life. Each day God, help remind me that my ‘old nature’ must die in order for Christ to live in me fully.  Today, with your help, I submit to your way of doing things and I die to mine.  Amen.”

         I hope you were in agreement with me on this prayer.  But even if you weren’t, I will continue to pray for you as you travel along this journey called manhood.  Until next time, be strong, and stay in His grip!