Thursday, May 7, 2015

My choices, my responsibility, and my gold...

Week 19:

Psalm 85:13 Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.

I have been thinking a lot lately about my choices.  25 years in one profession has me wondering, “Did I make the right choice?”  To this day, I still claim that I do not know what I want to be when I grow up.   This claim is based out of honest feelings.  This uncertainty of “Am I doing what I am supposed to be doing?” has me wondering if I am experiencing (25 years later) the consequences of the initial career choice I have made. 

So, I brought this to my men’s group the other night.  We usually voice each week…if given the opportunity, what would I work on to be a better man tonight?  As is custom, each man voiced his “work” for the night.  Then, I began a series of questions following up based on my thoughts of late around my choices. 

·         What choice did I make to get me to this point where now, I want to work on being a better man?  It all starts with a choice.  Once I realize that I made a choice to be where I am, I begin to gain some power over my life.  I become less of a victim.
·         What were the perceived benefits of my choice?  What payoff did I expect to receive when I made my choice?  I would not have made this choice if I didn’t expect some sort of gain in my life.  (Security, peace, power, relief, etc.)
·         What was I trying to avoid when I made my choice?  Ah, now we are getting somewhere!  Was I avoiding negative perception of a risky choice?  Was I avoiding emotional connection or commitment?  Was I avoiding a fear of failure?
·         What has been the ripple effect of my choice?  Am I where I am supposed to be?  Have I missed an opportunity for my choice?  Have I been doing what God called me to do all along and just not see it?  Who has been affected by my choice (both negatively and positively)?
·         What statement can I make that reflects my taking 100% responsibility for my choice?  Here I begin to have power over my choice.  I begin to recognize what drove me to this choice.  I can now move forward and step into contentment.  I can also begin to look at the possibility of making a new choice. 
·         How is my “gold” reflected in my choice?  There is a part of my God-given goodness within my choice.  I believe that with every choice, there are generally good intentions based on our heart.  From what place in my heart did I make this choice?  And…what has been God’s blessing around my choice (The silver lining)?
·         What measurable step can I take towards loving the part of me that made this choice?  How do I live with my choice without judgment?  What part of me that made the choice needs to be acknowledged, affirmed, and loved by me?

As we finished up the night, I was aware of how I felt.  I did not get a clear answer about who I want to be when I grow up.  However, I did gain some clarity around some things:

·         I gained some clarity around what prompted my choice.
·         I began to see some of God’s blessings and work based on my choice.
·         I gained some peace about who I am despite my choice.
·         I learned one more way in my life to take responsibility.
·         I was able to get a glimpse into some more of my God-given goodness.

My challenge to the reader is to look at that one place where you feel you made a choice that you are now questioning.  Work through the above questions.  Ask God to walk alongside you as you reflect.  Then walk as a person who is aware of your choices, your responsibility, and your gold.


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This was my latest post on  The Crucible Project blog.

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Click HERE to purchase Weekly Devotional Thoughts: Weekly Applications of God’s Word on Amazon Kindle and write a review.
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Don't forget to visit my Amazon links.  General purchases:  Click on the Banner at the top of the blog.  For a list of my favorites go to:  http://astore.amazon.com/weekldevottho-20

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