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Welcome my friends to season 3 of the Determined to Dance podcast. My prayer is that you’ll be encouraged to persevere daily in our chaotic world. Today’s episode, Choices: Right or Wrong? focuses on how God loves us despite our wrong choices and helps us choose wisely.
Show Notes: Choices: Right or Wrong?
I am an adult. One of the things I never really considered when I married and moved away from my folks was making my own choices or decisions. As a know-it-all eighteen-year-old, (yes, I married too young) I felt ready to leave my mom and Dad and all their rules. I would be on my own, me and hubby, and do what we wanted.
Except that’s not how it works.
With adulting came bills, a job, and lots of unsolicited advice from both families. I quickly realized that we had a lot of choices to make, decisions that would determine our future. And suddenly, I wanted to move back home, crawl into my four-poster bed, and pull the covers over my head. What had I done?
But I stayed and together, we made decisions. Some good, some foolish. We made purchases that got us into debt. Like the quarter horse, we had to have when we’d only ridden horses a few times. A silly choice.
Then when we struggled to pay our bills, we felt more than foolish. We suffered from guilt and shame. We didn’t want anyone to know about our bad decisions.
Proverb 13: 10-18 has so much good advice when you struggle with choices:
“Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise. Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. People who despise advice are asking for trouble; those who respect a command will succeed. The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death. A person with good sense is respected; a treacherous person is headed for destruction. Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness. An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble, but a reliable messenger brings healing. If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.” NLT
Let’s break this down and find out what advice the writer of this book, King Solomon, gives:
- Pride only hurts. It’s okay to ask for advice from wise people who’ve already experienced much of life. But this doesn’t mean advice from your friends who are making the same mistakes you are.
- Hard work is the way to go, not get-rich-quick schemes. Shortcuts in life usually lead to roads that you don’t want to travel.
- Respect those who offer advice even if you don’t agree. While thinking it through, you might change your mind.
- Think before you act. Ponder major decisions for days or weeks. It might save you a lot of heartache.
- Live a disciplined life.
When making decisions, we want to ask, think it through, and make choices with the future in mind. Have you heard the expression, “Would you like a quarter today or a dollar tomorrow?” Kids tend to want what’s right in front of them. As do we, adults.
So, what do we do if we’ve already made a foolish decision? Or maybe a better question is what does God do?
Jeff Walling says: “God is ready to forgive even the most foolish of sinners. If we will only be smart enough to call out to him in the darkness, he will restore hope and joy to a heart full of shame. It is this message that Christian families must embed in their children’s minds. The love of the Lord endures forever! It’s never too late for him to restore the prodigal who’s willing to come home. And he will do it with the simplest of remedies.
“He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.” Psalm 107:20-21 NIV
It is the truth of God that the fallen fool needs to hear: his love never fails and his divine care is always available! The word of the Lord will renew the spirit and give the former fool a song of thanks to sing…and even a dance or two of praise!”
What a wonderful thought. Our God longs to restore us even when we are foolish.
Let’s pray: Father God, we love You and thank You for your forgiving, restoring love. We want to do the right thing, but often we move from Your path onto our own. We are sorry. Forgive us and show us the path of life. Help us to find and listen to wise people. In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen.
Making right choices is easier when we turn to the Lord.
Today’s featured author is Jennifer Hallmark, the author of Jessie’s Hope, a Southern family novel. Years ago, an accident robbed Jessie Smith’s mobility. It also stole her mom and alienated her from her father. When Jessie’s high school sweetheart Matt Jansen proposes, she worries that she cannot hold on to those she loves.
Determined to heal from her past, Jessie initiates a search for her father. Can a sliver of hope lead to everlasting love when obstacles–including a spurned woman and unpredictable weather–hijack Jessie’s dream wedding? Learn more at jenniferhallmark.com/books
Next week, we’ll look at the storms of life. Until then, stay determined to dance…
Links:
My debut novel, Jessie’s Hope
Video of the week:
I absolutely love music and each week I’d like to share a relevant song we can enjoy together.
