The commencement of a new year is an annual milestone that almost forces you to reflect on the year past. What was good and what was bad – which choices do you regret, and for which would you give yourself a pat on the back? There are many milestones in every human’s life. Your 21st birthday is one example and thereafter your thirtieth, fortieth and fiftieth birthdays. At such times you usually think back over the years gone by and do a bit of a stock-take. You’ll possibly be satisfied and happy with certain things and less so with others, or dissatisfied. At the end of it all and after many explanations and arguments, you’ll have to concede that you are the result of your choices. It doesn’t help you blaming others for disappointments and successes. How you react to situations is also a choice that only you can make.
Every choice in turn depends on your attitude towards life. Are you positive with a zest for life, and therefore accepting of challenges to live abundantly with energy and passion? Do you see opportunities where other people just see gloom and problems? Or are you negative and pessimistic, only seeing problems as you continue on your life journey? Your attitude towards life is incredibly important because it determines the type of choices you’re going to make, and therefore also who you are and will be one day. Guard against you reflecting one day on your fortieth or fiftieth birthday and regretting your outlook on life and the negative attitude with which you approached life. Guard yourself now from adopting a pessimistic attitude and making life a punishment instead of a challenge and pleasure. Today’s choices determine who and what you’ll be in 20 years from now.
The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 30:19 that the Lord gives us two choices in every situation. You can and must choose:
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live – NIV
There are choices to be made in every situation and every circumstance. These choices either imply life or death. Choose correctly! The Lord is so serious about you choosing life that He even tells you in the specific Scripture what you must choose. Yes, you have a choice, but the Lord pleads that you must choose life for your own sake. It’s like writing an exam and the paper setter gives you the answer. The Lord tells you to be positive, to choose life and hope, and to live amply and with passion.
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