The Power of a Right Choice: It's a Matter of Life or Death

By Joyce Meyer, Christian Post Guest Columnist Friday, October 28, 2011

I wonder how many decisions we make every day. I believe it’s probably hundreds. We decide whether or not to get out of bed, what we’ll eat, what we’ll do, what we’ll think about, what we’ll say…and on and on.

While it may seem like many of our daily choices are not that significant, it’s important to understand that they do matter.

In Deuteronomy 30:19 (AMP), God says, “…I have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” Every choice is a seed you sow, and those seeds produce fruit in your life – either for life or for death. And if we want to have the life Jesus died to give us – an abundant life full of real peace and joy – we need to make wise choices.

Consistently Good Choices Lead to the Good Life

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about on a practical level. I go to bed at 9 o’clock every night and am asleep by 9:30. I get up at 5:30 and spend two to three hours with God every morning before I get ready for the day and walk out the door. I do this because I need to spend time with God to be the Christian I want to be and treat people the way I want to treat them.

Also, I need consistent sleep or I will feel bad physically. I’m sixty-seven years old, and I can honestly say I feel great most of the time. In fact, I can do more than some people I know who are younger than me. This is the fruit of making wise choices in my daily life.

When God tells us in Deuteronomy 30:19 to “choose life,” He’s actually showing us what wisdom looks like – it’s life-giving. And when we follow wisdom, we live deeper than “I want, I think, I feel…I want, I think, I feel…” Because wisdom always chooses to do now what it will be satisfied with later on, while foolishness means “without common sense.”

Now here’s some great news: If you have made foolish choices (and we’ve all done it at times in our lives) and you’re not happy with the way things are, you can change. But you have to be willing to take responsibility for your wrong choices and make a determined decision to change the way you behave. When you do, you’ll find that every right choice you make helps reverse the wrong decisions you’ve made in the past.

I really want you to get this because my passion is to help you learn how to live the life Jesus wants you to have.

However, There Is Something You Need to Know…

To begin this journey in Christ, we have to understand that nobody can change themselves. I know this because when I desperately wanted to change and be a better person who made right decisions, it was clear that I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed God to heal me of hurts from past abuse and make me secure and whole in Christ. Then I was able to choose life and live the way God wants me to live.

Whatever change you need to make, simply pray and ask God to change you and help you. Study the Bible in the areas where you are struggling, like anger, selfishness or unforgiveness. And be serious about it – you have to really study the Word to get what you need from God and be changed.

It’s so good to know we can do something to choose life, not just have an existence full of misery and death. We can seek wisdom, pray every day and renew our commitment to do what He wants us to do. We can live with integrity and do what’s right – even when no one is watching us but God. That’s when we know we’re really living for Him and not for ourselves or to please other people.

Think about this: How can you change and what could your life be like if you made better choices right now? Don’t put it off any longer. There won’t be a more convenient time, and you don’t have to waste another day missing out on the good life God has for you. You can do it. Make right choices now!