Your Choice in 2015

And so it begins! 2015 is off and rolling.

Every year at this time I love the process of reflection that accompanies my personal celebration of the New Year's holiday. Perhaps I was born old, or simply born without a "party hardy" gene, but for whatever reason, I lean more toward the philosophical than the party animal, so I relish the chance to ponder what has passed in my life and what is yet to come. 

It has been difficult this year to choose a topic for my New Year's blog.  I intended to blog on New Year's Eve...and then on New Year's Day...but there were so many things on my mind, nothing seemed just right to share, and I knew I had too many things on my mind to fit into a single blog. 

For those of us who enjoy writing, choosing the limits of what we want to say is the most difficult task...and after that, editing down the length of content to that which will be of most interest to the reader.  I confess to being full to overflowing with words this week - so many ideas and lessons have made an impact on me during these past few days, but what can I share in a blog that might be helpful to someone else?

I have had the frailties of my broken human condition exposed rather extensively during this holiday season...I know the extent of my brokenness, and I know too the capacity I have for hurting those I love, whether intentionally or unintentionally.  It's a challenge to continually see my own faults clearly, and to own them without allowing their presence in me to break my spirit.  The forgiveness I find in Jesus Christ is complete, and yet the working out of His finished work of salvation in my daily life, attitudes and behavior is far from finished.  I try to be quick to see my faults and to ask forgiveness of those I may wrong or hurt, but as the Proverbs tell us, "a brother offended is harder to win than a walled city."  Saying "I'm sorry. I was wrong." is sometimes easier to do than is the healing of broken trust.

On this past Friday night, I had the opportunity to participate in a worship service with the Joel Osteen ministry, and several of the things I heard seemed to me words of universal wisdom from which we can all learn and benefit.

Don't carry into 2015 what needs to remain in 2014.  Grudges. Unforgiveness. Failures. Hurts. 

We have a choice about carrying these toxic and hurtful things into the new year. In the book of Deuteronomy, found in the Hebrew Scripture, God says to the people of Israel, "This day I call heaven and 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 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him..."

We do have choices. Every moment of every day.  And whether the flipping of our calendars to January matters in reality, or is just the perception of a fresh start, take this opportunity, on this first day of the first week of the new year...and choose life.   As corny as this sounds, I beg you, and I say to myself too, Don't kid yourself into believing you don't have a choice! You are not a victim.  You always have a choice.  If you are able to see this blog and read these words, I can say with 100% certainty: You have a choice.

Choose to leave behind in 2014 the relationships and behaviors and emotions that are toxic and deathly for your life.  Choose to seek life, to choose Jesus, to embrace forgiveness, grace, hope, and joy.

Choose to listen more closely, hear more clearly, and love more purely.  Choose to trust the Father's love for you, to believe that God knows the beginning from the end, and that all of the days ordained for your life were written in God's book for you, before you took your first breath.

We will know beautiful days and dark days in the new year.  Victories, as well as painful defeats.  Choose today, before another day passes by, to love God and to trust Him.  Choose to seek Him, to know His word and to hide it in your heart.  As I was reminded on Friday evening by Mrs. Dodie Osteen, "Hide God's word in your heart. You may not need it right now, but there will come a day when you'll need it."  

2015...what will you choose?