I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

Deuteronomy 30:19

Each one of us has been given the power to make decisions. But the way we choose demands serious consideration. We have many examples in the Bible of those who made either right or wrong choices and the great blessings or the sad consequences that followed. Both the natural and spiritual laws of sowing and reaping still exist today. We reap what we sow.

Millions of people choose to take the broad, easy and (unfortunately) downward road even though it leads to destruction. Far fewer are willing to take up the cross of Christ and walk the straight and narrow way, which, according to Scripture, brings abundant and eternal life. We can choose to give ourselves in full surrender to Christ and follow Him in full obedience, or we can choose to resist His will, make excuses for our disobedience, and live to please ourselves. We can joyfully accept the situation we find ourselves in life with a spirit of godly contentment and restful assurance and in grateful acknowledgement of God’s loving care and overruling hand. Or, as we face the hurts and shattered dreams of life, we can allow attitudes of bitterness, ingratitude, and smoldering anger to hold us in a tight grip of defeat. We can choose, by God’s grace, to respond to others with love, forgiveness, kindness, and mercy. Or we can react with malicious revenge or a resentful, grudging, and unforgiving spirit.

If we continue choosing our own selfish way, whether in action or attitude, we will reap a bitter harvest of sorrow, inner conflict, unfulfilled expectations, and a broken relationship with God, as well as, perhaps, broken relationships with others. In contrast, choosing the right way brings harmonious relationships, abiding peace, deep joy, true fulfillment, and sweet fellowship with our Creator. We win or lose by the way we choose.