Do you ever have times or seasons of your life when you think back over choices or decisions you made or didn’t make, that have changed the entire course of your life? I’m sure anyone who is reading this can relate. Our life is a process filled with the ebb and flow of choices–many that created failure, which may affect you this very moment. And many choices you and I have made have come and gone which brought great blessing to you and others–choices that have proved a catalyst of positive influence to other people.
I guess the advent of my oldest daughter going off to college has brought on some more personal reflection of my own story. I think of her and the choices that await her as she gets ready to add to this next part of her story. I think how I would have been in a completely different mode of life had I chosen a different path. I think about the choices I made based solely on what I thought was the logical choice. But I also reflect on the many relationships that have formed me as a result of the simple act of moving to a different state. Some of what I experienced I’d change and have a do-over, but mostly I’ve come to embrace my life.
It’s this crazy process of life: the collective moments of choices made, of decisions played out in real time; all strung together with success and failures. Our story. And it’s a detailed story for sure. Full of joy, tragedy, testing, changing. But it’s the story with all of its characters and plot that ultimately can be used for God’s glory.
Our test of faith is to remain open to being used by God no matter what is happening on the surface; to exchange the truth for the lie that says we are all washed-up, defeated and our life is not good for anything. This is far from God’s truth!
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
This is my focus more than ever: my past is past. I am looking to utilize the wonderful lessons God has walked me through these many years. My focus is to be used for God to make a difference in this world. A partner of God who has been grafted into His story, I am choosing to participate with God to live the part He’s designed for me. I am choosing to believe the best of my story is yet to come!
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
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