Decisions, Decisions

I’ve been personally wanting to journal since Friday last week... it’s now Tuesday. It’s amazing how people and things come up and we can push aside the passions that are burning in our hearts. At least, I know this is what happens to me.

I’ve mentioned this book before, Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend... I've learned through reading that we need to make the decision to set healthy boundaries for our own selves in regards to any aspect of relationship. I’ve recently entered into a relationship (surprise to all those people who know me in person and have not been made aware of this — all you gotta do is talk to my Nonna for 30 seconds and you’ll know everything you need to) and as much as I always want to be spending time with him, I’ve realized that I’m going to need to set boundaries to fulfill other important tasks God has placed on my heart to do. These tasks can be as simple as making dinner, doing laundry, or even making time to write this blog during the day when I’m actually awake (I say this because it’s currently 5:52 AM as I type this sentence)... Simply put, there’s a proper time for everything:

There is a time for everything, 

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 NIV

Now, enough about me, here comes the good part!

~~~

I have recently become acutely aware the adult life is full of decision-making moments.

I decided to do a brief google search of the above line, and the first article was from lifehacker.com entitled, "Top 10 Difficult Decisions You'll Make in Life (and How to Make Them)". Anything with a "how to" looks interesting to me; so I click into it, took a gander, and noticed that out of the ten difficult decisions listed:

• five were related to school and career (to go, to go back, what path to take, switching, and when to quit)
• two were geographical (where to live, rent/buy)
• three were relational (to date, to marry, to have children - or not)

Okay, first of all, why is 50% of life decisions based on solely education and career? There are so many human aspects to this major section of “life”... there is opportunity to build connections with peers, professors and professionals as every stage of schooling, as well as colleagues, employers and  customers while at work. We cannot neglect the importance of "who you know" in the process of learning "what you know" for our future career aspirations.

Secondly, geographically it's important to consider the whereabouts someone plans to live, but there are also more humans to consider: neighbours, other drivers on the road or perhaps transit bus drivers, doctors/dentists, grocery store clerks, bank personnel and more.

And finally, the actual “relational” aspects to life decisions, it could be mistakenly perceived to surround the one person you are choosing to be with, but I personally consider the family, friends, and acquaintances to be just as much as part of this section as the person one decides to date/marry.. then of course the additional lives that would be produced as a result of this relationship if God decides that’s what’s up (aka children).

The heart of a man plans his way,

but the Lord establishes his steps.

Proverbs 16:9 ESV

~~~

There's is one major decision that isn't mentioned at all in the article I reviewed, but it has longer lasting results than any other decision we will make in our life times. God's given us the decision to choose between life and death.

This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you 

that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. 

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 

and that you may love the Lord your God, 

listen to his voice, and hold fast to him...

Deuteronomy 30:19-20a NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [Jesus],

 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 

I [Jesus] came that they may have life 

and have it abundantly [to the full].

John 10:10 ESV

So the most important decision in life is, and yes it does involve yet another relational aspect, to choose to follow Jesus Christ! My prayer is that we have:

The determination of Ruth with Naomi;

But Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God."
Ruth 1:16 NLT

The understanding of ourselves as Paul had (there is much more to this category);

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

And the certainty of Joshua as he spoke to all of Israel;

... then choose today whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
Joshua 24:15 NLT

Remove to Replace

So I have the YouVersion Bible app on my phone for easy on-the-go access to the Word of God. On the app, the creators have incorporated a feature in which you can add "friends". When you add someone as a "friend" - and they accept - it allows each party to view the verses their friend has highlighted, check out any notes they've taken and shared, and view each other's bible plan activity. The app also offers the option to "like" any of the previously stated activities, in which your friend will receive a notification that you have liked something they have done on the app.

So someone, whom I don't think I know in real life, added me as a friend and I accepted. A few hours later I got a notification that they had liked my note called "remove to replace". It's based on Ezekiel 43:9 and I wrote it in 2014 on August 28. The year 2014 feels like a long time ago, and to be honest, I don't even remember publishing the note or highlighting the verse.

~~~

The note is short and to the point, it reads as follows:

Sometimes we have to put stuff away (for good) in order for God to enter in and stay with us forever. GOD HATES SIN. Simple as that. He loves YOU, but doesn't and cannot love sin. Remove all that doesn't bring glory to Him in your life and He will be with you. 

Ezekiel 43:9 NIV says:

Now let them put away from me their prostitution and the funeral offerings for their kings, and I will live among them forever.

~~~

This is an incredible reminder for me, because sometimes it's so easy to get comfortable and hold on to those things we are familiar with. Things that we can predict or feel that we have control over. It may be pertaining to people, family or friends. Or we can become consumed by certain habits or thought patterns. Or even things we do based on "tradition" or responding to situations with the mentality of "this is how I was raised".

Not everything we do is "sin" or sinful; we'd have to evaluate whatever it is that needs to be removed. My suggestion is to do this through prayer, and using God's Word as a basis on which to live our lives. If it isn't uplifting, nor bringing glory to God, or is just flat out wrong and you know it - do something about it. True repentance leads to change.i

Remove to replace.