Choosing Jesus Moment By Moment

“You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” John 15:16

I want you to pause for 30 seconds and make a mental list of the choices you’ll make or have already made today.

I’m talking simple choices. Like what to eat for breakfast or what clothes to wear for work. To workout or not? To get up on time or hit the snooze button for the fifth time?

Life is full of choices, some negative, others positive. Some are super easy and then there are others that we have to deliberate over for weeks and months at a time.

Unfortunately, making the choice to choose God in difficult times is much harder than deciding what to cook for dinner. He desires for us to always choose Him, but since He made us humans with the power of choice that’s sadly not always the case. We would much rather choose our way, because it’s what we can physically see and rely on.

How many times have you known what was the right thing to do, the way God had shown you, but you went ahead and choose your own way of thinking and doing? We are all guilty of it in some way, shape, or form.

Growing up, my mom would always tell me to choose my friends wisely. I went to Christian schools my entire life, but that didn’t mean that all the friends I had to choose from were the best. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I thought it would be easy to choose good friends since I was in a Christian school. I quickly learned that even friends at a Christian school could lead me astray and start a pattern of life choices that wouldn’t lead me in the right direction.

As I continued into high school and college I assumed that since all of us were “church-goers” we’d all have the same goals of putting Christ first in our lives. I had to make the hard choice to choose Christ over a friendship time and time again. Did I always make the right choice? Unfortunately, no. Looking back, I can see the mistakes that were made when I chose the convenience of friendships that weren’t always Christ-centered.

Thankfully God continues to give me the opportunity to choose Him each day. He’s placed me with Lane of Roses which gives me the chance to encourage other women to choose Him daily. On top of that He’s given me a job in a Christian school where I can lead my students in choosing Him daily as well. And I pray that He continues to be patient with me as I’m sure I won’t always set the right example.

Aren’t we thankful that even when we mess up and don’t choose Him in all our moments, He sticks with us and blesses us with more than we deserve?

Let’s make the conscious choice today, together, to choose Him and encourage others around us to do the same.

Reflection:

1. In which areas of your life could you make different choices that would strengthen your walk with Christ?

2. Is there someone you’re close to that you could encourage to do the same?

Prayer

Father, please forgive me for those countless times when it got tough and I didn’t choose You like I should have. Strengthen me with your power and grace to face the temptation to choose the easy way and instead put You as the first choice in every aspect of my life.