Everyday we face options and choices. Something as simple as going shopping can bewilder you with so many choices available. Not too long ago I went to buy toothpaste. I remember only two brand names on the store shelves when I was growing up. However, nowadays there’s cavity protection, tartar protection, sensitive teeth protection, nature’s expression, pro-heath. Then if you want something with flavor there’s mint, vanilla mint, citrus clean mint, pure peppermint, mint plus green-tea extract, lemon ice and cinnamon. On top of this, there’s gel and liquid form. Now if you think that’s a lot of selection, there’s also a kid’s line!

Overwhelmed with so many choices, I gave up on toothpaste and decided to get some chips. Well, guess what? I found baked chips, cheddar and sour-cream, chili-lemon, hot and spicy, masterpiece barbeque flavor, kettle and wavy chips. And the variety list goes on and on. Needless to say, I gave up on chips and picked up some prunes instead. But when I got to the check out stand the clerk asked me, paper or plastic? Arghh!

Having options can be good but it can also make life more complicated than it needs to be. Although some choices will be mundane (e.g., what to eat for breakfast or what to wear today,) some are life altering (e.g., deciding to marry or not or buying a house or not.)  Life is all about choices – but when we realize that, we tend to wonder if the choices we’ve made in the past were good ones or not? At some time or another, most of us regret some of the choices we’ve made however God does not want us to make choices we’ll regret. So how do we choose? Here is His wisdom for all ages on what to choose. 

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death…therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (Deu. 30:19 NKJV)

Suffice to say, the choices we make today will impact our tomorrow. In addition, it won’t affect just our life, but the generations to come. This will be the legacy we leave behind. Sometimes the greatest challenge is not choosing what’s good or evil. But in fact, what is good and best for our lives. In other words, what is wise or wiser. So how do we make wiser choices? There are three important keys to upgrading your choices. The first is…

1.      BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT END IN MIND.

A Psychologist out of Columbia University wrote, “…deeper for the cravings for social power, deeper still than for the desire for personal possession, there is a more generalized and universal craving in every human make-up. It is the craving for knowledge of right direction”. In other words, each one of us craves the same thing. We want to know where we’re going.

It’s a given that when we’re moving in the right direction, life makes more sense. Decisions are made freely and with an ease. Conversely, if we don’t know where we’re going, we make confusing choices in life.  We’re unable to tell which way is up or down. By this point, we feel lost and without direction.

Ever been lost in a big city? I have. Awhile ago, we went to visit my son at USC. Although we had a map and directions we found ourselves lost. What should have taken us twenty minutes to get from the airport to the campus took us five hours! The problem was not the wrong choices we took, because we were making choices with what we had. As it turned out, we had the wrong point of destination. Instead of directions to the main campus we had directions to the USC medical campus which was on another part of the county.

Life can sometimes be this way too can’t it? We find ourselves running in circles and wonder why we aren’t getting any where. The reason for this is we’re not sure of the destination we’re heading towards. This is when our lives become paralyzed. We can’t move on and make anymore choices in life. Thus, it is important to have the right destination in life. Otherwise, our life will be a chaotic mess. If we are not careful, our choices can be dictated by our circumstances, feelings and emotions.

In Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of a highly effective people, he says to begin with the end in mind with the clear understanding of your destination. In other words, to know where you are going so you can better understand where you are now. From there, take steps that will move you in the right direction for your life. If you don’t know where you are going you will never be able to assess where you are now. Therefore, it is critical to begin with the right end in mind.

The Bible tells us,“…but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14) This tells us there will be an end. Listen folks, there’s no soft way to say this but here it is, we are going to die. Everything will come to an end. In addition, “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; and living should take this to heart. (Ecc. 7:2) This tells us that when we’re dead it’ll be too late to consider what’s going to happen in the end.

So what’s going to happen in the end? Well it depends from which point of view we’re looking at. The first is, there is an end with no God. If this is your view of the end, then you’re living in the here and now. And every decision you make will reflect this. Your choices will be limited with the choices you have in front of you. And, you will be frustrated. Why? Because everything you possess will be gone. There is no hope and no future from this point of view.

The second view is there is an end with God. You know where you’re headed and your choices in life aligns with this. Most importantly, Jesus is your GPS that guides you all the way. It is God Himself that will tell you how to choose things in life. “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose. His soul will abide in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.” (Ps. 25:12-13) When God says choose life, He’s saying to believe there is God in the end. And, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isa. 31:21) When you believe there is a God and you draw close to Him, He will speak to you in your heart or prompt you to the left or to the right. Thus, this point of view has a hope and future.

Here is question I ask myself when choices need to be made. It is my starting point, with the end in mind. Here it is, what is God’s goal for my life, marriage, children, finances, ministry, and workplace?

                                                  _________

                                                  God’s goal.

                           _________

                          Step 2 (what do I specifically need to do to upgrade myself to the goal that God has for me)

            __________

                 Step 1  (what do I specifically need to do to upgrade myself to the goal that God has for me)

__________

Present assessment (where you are now)

Filling this diagram helped me assess what God wants me to do. In the past, it helped me decide whether I was to step off the bench. Another time was whether to adopt a child. So take the time to make an assessment of God’s goal for your life. Then make another assessment of where you are now. Steps two and three are steps you need to take to upgrade your life to God’s goal for you.

There are times in life when it won’t be so easy. This happens because of a choice we previously made. Therefore, to make wise decisions, you’ll need to make commitments to those consequences. Yes, make a commitment to see through those consequences. This brings us to the second key point of upgrading your choices.

2.       BE WILLING TO COMMIT TO THE CONSEQUENCES.

I think we’ll agree that it’s easier to make a choice rather than facing a consequence. Nonetheless, it’s important to understand that every choice will include a consequence. When we do hit a wall, naturally we start second guessing our choices. And then sometimes, we start to back-pedal. Listen, as you’re carefully considering choices, I encourage and challenge you to lay out the consequences out ahead of you and ask yourself if you will make a commitment to those consequences. If not, it may not be a good time to make a choice.

Likewise, the disciples were also faced with this. It was easier for them to say yes Lord I want to follow you rather then actually living out that commitment. For example, remember when Jesus got arrested in the garden? How many disciples stayed back with Him? Well the Bible says they all fled, even Peter. “Peter asked, ‘Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.’ Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for Me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times!’” (Jn. 13:37-38)  When push came to shove, Peter took off.

We too can second guess our decisions. However, when we do this our life becomes a suspended animation. The Bible calls this being unstable in all your ways.  “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” (Jam. 1:5-8)

For instance, we choose to get employed. We then get hired and then a consequence happens at work. We then start thinking this may not be the place for me. In addition, we begin to think God is calling us to work somewhere else. Catch this, this only shows that we have not committed to the consequence of being employed. So remember to run out the consequences of a choice first. Then ask yourself if you can commit to those consequences. By doing so your character qualities will increase in the areas of self-control, patience and faithfulness.

From there, commit to the decision that you’ve already made. Listen, if you get involved in something and then start to back-pedal, the enemy in the spiritual realm loves it. The enemy delights in Christians who second guess themselves. He also delights in seeing Christians caught between two places saying to themselves, I should have done this instead of that. This kind of thinking will only suspend and make you incapable of carrying with the work of Christ.

One example my wife Joy and I need to deal with is being parents at our age. Just the other night we attended Jared’s pre-school orientation. The consequence of this was to face other parents who looked like they could be our kids! However, the Bible tells us, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (Jam.3:17)

If you find that you’re not willing to commit to the consequences, it may not be the choice or the time for it. If you do commit to it, know that you will face some tough situation. Now if you say you’re doing God’s work and doing it God’s way but it’s still not working, then…

3.      TRUST IN THE PROCESS AND THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.

Yes, there is a process involved and we must honor it. And if it’s God’s goal that you’re seeking, then God will provide, so trust in Him. Sometimes we’re so result-oriented with the end in mind that we become impatient. But above all, don’t circumvent to get your way. Just go through the process.

You see it is in those times that we need to trust in God and His provisions. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.” (Hab. 2:3) This tells us three things. The first is God is in control. The second is God loves me. And thirdly, God does not make a mistake. If we are doing things God’s way, we are able to make the best decisions possible and trust that God will take care of the rest. Although we have made a mistake or decision along the way, if we’re heading in the direction that God wants us to go. He won’t let us stray very far and He will bring us back in to correction.

Furthermore, the process we go through is really to refine us. This is where He scrubs our hearts clean. Granted that we live in the land of desire and selfishness, naturally we are more concerned about our location and vocation rather than God’s transformation of our hearts. And, sometimes living in the land of plenty and then forced to live without causes tremendous stress. Yet the Bible tells us, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Ps. 37:4-5) And, “…for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:13)

Therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live. And although life doesn’t get easier with so many choices, upgrade with wiser choices. Just begin with the right end in mind. Then take steps to upgrade to God’s goal for your life. And, be willing to commit to the consequences. And, finally trust in the process and providence of God. Remember, God is still in control. And, nothing can separate us from the love of God!

DISCUSSION SUGGESTIONS

1.      What consequences are you facing now because of a hasty decision you made previously?

2.      What consequences are you willing to commit to now to correct that situation?

Group) Do a self-assessment using the diagram above.

Group) List a scripture or two that builds confidence.

Group) Pray for those who need stronger backs to carry through with the weight they need to carry.

3.      What impacted you most from this message and in what way will you become a better person because of it?

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong with our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NLT)

 Sermon Notes Ministry: Debbie Chang, Leighton Loo,

                                                Doreen Rabaino & Jay Tsukayama