God-Honoring Choices

Sometimes we can’t see a better life for ourselves or know our self-worth isn’t in another person, especially one who does not have our best interest in mind. God always has our best interest at heart. He always wants the best for us—the very best is God Himself.

If we are hungry and only have cheesecake—we will eat cheesecake. Even if we know it isn’t as healthy for us and that it will go to our hips. But if we see it as our only choice, we will eat it. We may like cheesecake, but it is not sustainable or healthy.

Don’t settle for the cheesecake when God offers a whole banquet at the palace of a King.

The same goes for a significant purchase. Let’s say you are in the market for a new laptop. You won’t just buy the first one you see. You will research and get better informed of all your options and the specs. We need to be informed to make the best decisions.

Don’t settle for anything less than God’s best. In other words, don’t compromise integrity for momentary pleasure.

If we aren’t in God’s word, learning about God’s character and the truth of what Christ says about us and what He wants for us, we will make ill-informed decisions based on what is in front of us. It’s like being in a desert, and we will drink anything put in front of us to satisfy our thirst.

Friend, don’t drink the devil’s Kool-Aid. God offers living waters that have eternal refreshment for our souls. There are other options. We can make better life choices the way God intended for us. We can reach our highest potential with God’s help. Life-giving decisions are made in the light of God’s truth about us and who we are in Him as image-bearers.

I was once given an ultimatum to do what another person asked of me or lose him. I didn’t know leaving was the better choice. He said if I loved him, I would do what he asked. That isn’t love. I stuck it out because I thought I had to make it work. But it was unhealthy, and I was not honoring Christ with my life or body. It wasn’t until many dark days later and an eye-opening wake-up call that I realized God is always the better choice. Learning to put Christ first in my life comes with a freedom I do not take for granted. I thank God for rescuing me every day.

The Bible offers a filter to sift our relationships through to see if they are God-honoring:

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never ends” (I Cor. 13:4-8, ESV, Emphasis mine).

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, ESV, Emphasis mine).