I was reading a
book Staying On Top by David Mansell and came across this statement: Making a
decision about your life. I pondered a little about it and realized how much is
in that statement. It has a lot of connotations to it. Why? If you do not make
a decision about your life the chances that many things will affect you are
high. For an example if you do not make a decision about entertaining sexual temptations,
it will forever be a problem in your life until you make a decision about it
not to be. However, if you do not perceive something to be a problem despite
your struggle to stop doing it at the time that you want then your philosophies
in life are skewed. Each of us has a boundary/area of responsibility that we
preserve. Those areas that we care about are the very same things that we build
boundaries around; this can be your car, house, career, love life, sex life,
spiritual life, dealing with issues and interaction with people.
We often make a
decision about any of the issues mentioned about, explicitly and implicitly;
the problem is what kind of decision do we make? The decision that we make
often determine whether we will struggle or succeed about the issue. The title
of the article states that make a decision about your life? The ilk of the
decision that is supposed to be made is positive, life building and in
alignment with higher level of self-control. Most importantly it should be in
line with your faith and spiritual life.
Hence the biblical backing for these is found in
Proverbs 25: 28 He who has no rule over his own spirit is a city broken down
and without walls (in amplified version), (the message version) a person
without self-control is like a house with its doors and windows knocked
out…Proverb 16:32…, self-control is better than political power (message
version), (the new living translation state); better to have self-control than
to conquer or capture the city.
The decision will make a stamp on your mind,
it will remind you, keep you accountable and responsible for your life. It will
be a beacon of hope and bearing in case you divert from your course or path of
life. Remember you committed that you shall not have financial problems or
struggle with sexual temptations, whatever comes your way, God will raise the
standard and elevate you so that you come out to be a winner or overcomer. Your
faith in your decision will be your shield or your downfall. We often make a
decision about certain people e.g. Zimbini will never make me angry regardless,
even if she does, the impact will not be much. The same goes for people that
are listed as triggers, regardless of how small their doing is, they make you
mad.
If you made the
decision stick to it no matter the outcome, you chose it, bear the consequences.
In a way this calls for a wise decision making process, which will minimize the
impact later. Most decisions are made too quickly. Proverbs 11: 14 state where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but
in multitude of counselors there is safety. The key word is guidance,
counselors and safety. Indeed there is safety where an informed decision is
made under wise guidance; this guidance will come from the experienced source.
However, there
is a caution, some areas of your life decisions can’t be made that simple about
certain problem and the problem is over. You have to deal with the root cause
of the issue and unpin the strongholds and underlying forces preventing the
breakthrough. However, the decision must be made that now is the time to tackle
the issue and never look back, firm and establish your-self upon that
decision.
The major
problem about us starts as expressed in this verse James 1: 6 – 9 But when you ask (it is a decision made), you must
believe and not doubt (never
wavering, nothing doubting, no hesitating, because
the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (NIV). The
message version 6 – 8 states; ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves.
Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at
sea, keeping all your
options open. In EXB version it states verse 7 - 8;
[For] such doubters are thinking two different things at the same time [double-minded], and
they cannot decide about anything
they do [are unstable in all they do]. They should not think [expect]
they will receive anything from the Lord.
The problem as
adequately expressed above is our mental stand about the decision. We make
decisions but have second thought, doubt, waver, hesitate and keep our options
open. That’s the main issue that needs to be dealt with; it is a door to allow
sexual temptations to be a major issue, and eventually leading to
rehabilitation. Our decision need to be firm about our life situations to deny
or allow. Declare and decree that you
shall not struggle with finances, relationships, marriage, family, career and
studies. Your whole mental frame shift towards attaining that particular goal,
you do not allow room for disturbances or doubts, or to be tossed to and from
as expressed above. When you are firm on your decision; they protect your life
mission and vision. They keep you on the right track and remove the unwanted
distractions and diversions along the way, they heal you, removes generational
curses and transforms life. Now it is the time to succeed and start afresh with
a new perspective, established boundaries and concrete DECISION.
I know someone
who is on the brink of divorce because of this very subject, every time he had
a fight with his wife; he thought the marriage (relationship) might be over (do
most of us do this). I always wondered why he thought that way. But I realized
that he had not made any decision (commitment) towards his marriage or made any
decision (commitment) to stay in it. Despite the “I do’s” and signing, that
does not means you really committed (made decision) to your marriage. The
commitment (decision) originates from the heart, without any force and
coercion. It is a conscious decision to say whatever comes our way, I will stay
in it and make it work, there is no doubt in your mind because the decision is
made. Every problem that come, you work through it swiftly and find solutions.
Why? Because you are in it to win it! The article may apply to you wholly or
partly, the aim is to incite your decision making process. It’s a call for
re-evaluation and caution about our life principles and philosophies; they
might be an entry to many of our struggles and problems, but we never
realized.
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