Our Choices

 

After a walk I needed a nice, cold ice water, so I visited the Sonic just down the street from the office. Even with an almost-mended fracture and a boot, I am walkiing my miles for our 40 Day Lenten Challenge. We are all about “Living on Purpose” during these six weeks. We are fasting and praying and serving. We are practicing discipline upon discipline as a way of preparation for Holy Week and Easter.

So you can imagine my thoughts when I pulled into the parking place to order. It seemed I was being taunted. I felt I was being mocked. In the midst of all this intentional living, I was greeted by the bold exclamation: “Now is NOT the time for self-control”. You have got to be kidding me! I did NOT need this today. In fact, I needed a little help. Surprisingly, help was not to be found at Sonic.

Life can often feel like those cartoons from my childhood that depict a character facing a choice with a little devil on one shoulder and a little angel on the other; each voice urging and encouraging the character in the opposite direction. “Now is the time for self-control”. “Now is NOT the time for self-control.” Which is it? Which will it be today?

This situation does not make us bad; it makes us human. The Apostle writes, “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” The clever marketing team at Sonic isn’t the only voice that can call us in a different direction from that which we intend. The world is full of voices. WE are full of voices. Head and heart aren’t always in sync. Some choices mark a fine line indeed. Wherever our journey takes us, whatever choices we make, God is always with us. That is why Paul could write both those words and words of great confidence in his relationship with God in the same letter. Both things are what they are: we struggle with our choices and God’s decision to love and forgive never wavers.

Peace.