Many people do not understand the difference between a mistake and a choice. Andy Andrews in this book The Noticer give us a great example.
“If you are lost, wandering through a forest in the dark, unable to see, unaware that a cliff is nearby, and you stumble off the cliff and break your neck, that is a mistake. But let’s say it’s broad daylight. You are meandering about in a forest you’ve been told never to enter. There are No Trespassing signs everywhere, but you think you can slip in and slip out and not get caught. Now, again let’s say you fall off a cliff and break your neck…that, my friend, was not a mistake. It was a conscious choice.” (Pg. 117-118)
Wrong doing by choice demands you "Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance." You do so by making right choices and by accepting personal responsibility for the wrong.
When it comes to the desires of the heart choose wisely. The heart can be deceitful. If you are going to set your heart on anything be sure that it is the will of Lord and that the desire breaks no precepts or principles set forth in scripture. Be careful also of your emotions for they often overrule good sense when it comes to matters of the heart. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 Today's Prayer: Lord make the desires of my heart right. Do not allow me to give a foothold for the devil to tempt me. Amen
In his book, The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.
, Andy Andrews hit the nail on the head with this simple but true statement: “Most people think it takes a long time to change. It doesn’t. Change is immediate! Instantaneous! It may take a long time to decide to change…but change happens in a heartbeat! The single most important step to changing one's life is found in the choosing to change. When anyone chooses in their heart to be different, then, and only then, can the Spirit work and God's grace is fully available. This day I choose to change ______________ (You fill in the blank).
The Power of Choice My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. Proverbs 1:10 ESV The first and most important lesson in life's wisdom is to recognize the power of choice. Every person has it. Every person is held accountable to it. It is a gift from God. You will often execute the gift of choice. Choose wisely because consequences follow your choices. Power Quotes: "You are free to choose. You are not free not to choose. No choice is a choice. You are free to choose but you are not free to choose the consequences of that choice." -Adrian Rogers
"One's philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility." -Eleanor Roosevelt Check out "Love is a Choice" Illustration Ronald Reagan learned that it’s better to make a decision than to let others make it for you. When he was a kid, his aunt took him to a shoe store and had the shoemaker to make him some custom-made shoes. He was asked if he wanted square toed or round toed shoes. He couldn’t make up his mind and when he went to pick them up one was round toed and one was square toed. It was a lesson the shoemaker was teaching him about making his own decisions.
, Andy Andrews hit the nail on the head with this simple but true statement:
