Change Brings A Choice

February 17, 2010

Some guy who’s probably a lot smarter than me once said, “If there’s ever one constant in life, it’s change.” And again as a church we find ourselves in the middle of change and transition. If you’re like me, changes (especially big ones) bring a mix of emotions and challenges. But as I recently quoted Chuck Swindoll, “life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.”

I choose my attitude. That truth has been haunting me over and over during the last few weeks and months. Has it you? God isn’t surprised by my circumstances, in fact (if I believe the Bible), he’s ordained them. And while God certainly cares about my circumstances, my hurts, struggles, challenges… He’s much more concerned with me. Specifically my heart, my attitudes, how I respond.

I have to continually remind myself, moment by moment, that I have a choice to make. If I make the right choice, the Christ-honoring one, the result is good. Blessing! Attitude choices of genuine thankfulness, contentment, love, faith, and submission result in joy. But so often I find myself resembling the Israelites in Numbers 11-16, still battling to remove wrong, sinful attitudes. Attitudes that yield a spiritual, emotional wilderness in my life. When I choose attitudes like complaining, coveting, being critical of others, doubting God, or rebelling against those in authority (spiritual, family, political, etc.) — when those attitudes become my lifestyle, I will spend my lifetime in the wilderness. Choose to sin, choose to suffer.

So how would God rate your decision making over the last few weeks? Have you been choosing Christ-honoring attitudes or sinful ones? Promised land or wilderness? Life or death? Are you fighting and battling to put off your wilderness attitudes, or just caving to them? Make no mistake, it is a battle. It’s not easy. If it were, would Paul say in Colossians 3:5, “Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you”; would he consider the removal of sin from our lives as a death match? It’s a battle. Are you willing to fight it?

Here’s what I believe is at stake for our church… If as individuals and as a church we fight that battle, and if moment by moment we begin to choose thankfulness, contentment, love, faith, and submission to authority, then I believe God would delight to bless us! I believe He would delight to use us to take ground for the Kingdom. I believe He would delight for the Spirit to move in unprecedented ways among us.

But it’s a choice. So I also believe the opposite is true. If we give in to our sin, if I lay down and choose to complain, to covet, to criticize, to doubt God, or to rebel against the authorities God has placed over me… then off to the wilderness we go. Off we go to wander as a church for years to come. Choose to sin, choose to suffer.

So what will you choose? Yes, you. Not your spouse, not your parents, not the guy three seats over — you. Each of us must make this choice. Will I honor Jesus or will I cave to sin? Promised land, or wilderness? Life, or death? My hope is that as individuals and as a church, we’ll battle to choose the former every time.

As for me? I’m ready to battle, I’m tired of wandering. It’s time to choose right attitudes, load our squirt guns, and charge the gates of Hell! Who’s with me?

You Are Loved!

Pastor Josh