Pages

Monday, January 14, 2013

Evaluate Today's Decisions Based on Yesterday's Journal


Ready or not, 2013 has arrived. A new year means new decisions in new situations. Will you and I make better decisions than last year? Or are you pretty satisfied with most of the decisions you made last year? Which ones would you do differently if you could?

Perhaps you are being torn in two directions right now with a decision you are facing. If so, try this. Imagine that you have a journal with a list of everything you did yesterday. And now imagine that you can erase anything you want from that list as though it never happened. Which items, if any, would you erase if you could evaluate them 24 hours after the fact?

Now look again at the decision which confronts you today. Is the direction you are leaning wholesome and God-pleasing? Or are your strongest urges right now coming from your sinful nature? Which choice would you be proud to look at in your journal tomorrow? And which decision would you even be happy to have others see in your imaginary journal?

The reason this can be a helpful exercise for us is because our motivations and urges are often suspect. We sometimes allow ourselves, even as Christians, to get pulled in the direction of our strongest compulsions....even when those desires are pressing upon us to do something or say something that is contrary to God's will for our life. This is the battle every Christian faces. Even the apostle Paul was no exception. (see Romans 7:14-25) Read more

Read also
The Biblical Distinction Between 'Gift' and 'Reward'

No comments:

Post a Comment