What are the most important decisions of your life: Who do I marry? What lifestyle do I choose? How do I respond to crises in my life? Who is my core community?
But these decisions aren’t as important as the decisions you make before God. God has more power to change your life than a spouse or crises. These seven decisions will change your life for the better as nothing else will. If you make these decisions, it will help you make the other, less important decisions, and make living with them easier to bear.
1. Decide To be Devoted to God
“You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all of your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength.”
Not: to believe in God; to worship God on Sundays
But to: Honor God with your every breath, every movement and thought. Surrendering to God all that you are, and relying on Him to be your strength.
2. Decide To Commit Yourself to Jesus as Lord
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Not: To believe in Jesus, to pray the “sinner’s prayer”
But to: Recognize Jesus as your king, even if no one else follows him; To obey his law, to submit to his commands, to be his servant.
3. Decide To Join a Group of Followers of Jesus
“Be devoted to encouraging one another to love and good deeds.”
Not: To be a member of a church; decide where I go on Sunday mornings
But to: Seek a group of people who love Jesus with their whole lives who you will share your life with and talk to each other about how you can all better love God and follow Jesus.
4. Decide To Live as Jesus Lived
“I have given you an example that you should do as I did.”
Not: To be nice; to see yourself as better than others
But to: Be Jesus’ representative in every situation; pray as He would pray; love as He would love; serve as He would serve.
5. Decide To Seek Out the Spirit’s Work Through You
“The Father will give the Holy Spirit to whoever keeps asking.”
Not: To get a positive spiritual experience; To receive a miracle
But to: Continually seek the Holy Spirit to do powerful works for the sake of others; Pray for the Spirit daily to work through you and strengthen you.
6. Decide To Love Those You Dislike
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”
Not: To be sickly sweet to those who irritate you; To forget the mistakes of others
But to: Forgive what you remember; help the needy who have harmed you; assist everyone who has need, without exception
7. Decide To Surrender Yourself for the Sake of Others
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.”
Not: To complain about how much you have “sacrificed”; to get honor for the work you’ve done
But to: Set aside yourself—your family, your friends, your honor, your loves, your preferences, your irritations, your health, your desires, your hopes, even your very life—for the sake of Jesus and those who need you.
If you have already made all of these decisions, then the rest of your life is simply deepening your decisions, and applying these decisions to more and more of your life.
Don’t Give Yourself Just Part Of A Christian Life—Decide to Do It ALL
Wonderfully said, Steve. I concur, but also admit I am still struggling with the parameters of all these things. I try to serve Jesus all the time, but I feel restricted at work, especially when I'm so wrapped up in what I do that I feel drained spiritually at the end of the day. I am only happy when I make a difference in someone's life and give Jesus the credit. I look for opportunities; I am always thinking about spiritual things, but so many shut themselves off from the others even while they are immersed in the world. I'm still trying to define my calling.
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