Powerful Beyond Measure
Do you know how much you are capable of doing?
What time did you wake up today? Why?
You chose that time.
What did you eat for dinner tonight? Why?
You chose that dinner.
Who did you talk to today? Why?
You chose to talk to them.
Now, I want to be very clear that, yes, every action has consequences of course. However, the severity of those consequences can be changed.
You chose what time you woke up today. Could you have set your alarm for an hour earlier? Sure you could have, you might be a little more tired but you could have done it. Could you have set your alarm for an hour later? Sure you could have, you might be a little late to work though. So one consequence is seemingly small and one is seemingly larger or more severe. Yet, those consequences are the direct result of a choice that you (hypothetically) made.
You chose what dinner you had tonight. Could you have eaten something else? Sure you could have, yet that might have taken more time to cook or might have been more expensive. Yet, you chose your dinner and whether it was quick or slow to make, affordable or expensive, healthy or unhealthy, all those were a direct result of a choice that you made.
You chose who you talked to today. Could you have simply not responded when one of those people talked to you? Sure you could have, yet that might have meant causing some conflict. Yet, the reason those people are trying to talk to you in the first place is because of a choice that you made or that you did not make.
These are small examples, but, each decision that we make has amazing power over our lives. The thing to consider is that there is also an enormous impact on others.
If you decide to sleep an hour later and not go to work on time, maybe your boss lets that ruin her entire day. It did not affect you much, but it ruined her day.
Eating something unhealthy for dinner may not have a huge impact. But when you develop high blood pressure as a result of that seemingly minute decision that happens on an increasingly regular basis, it will have a huge impact. Maybe, again, not a huge impact for you, but if may greatly impact your family.
Now, with all the power that our decisions can have as well as all the power that we have over our circumstances, there is a great responsibility.
The first question I asked was, “do you know how much you are capable of doing?” But now, here is the more important question:
Do you know why you are empowered to do all that you are capable of doing?
God has created all of us in His image.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me Philippians — 4:13
Without God, nothing is possible. Yes, we all have free will, but to what extent? God can either empower or disempower. I’ve always said that God provides a door but then we have to open the door and walk through it.
God may lead us to a decision or a potential decision, but it is up to us, as people, to make the decision. The very first decision that God calls us to make is a great signifier of that. God made lead us to Him, He may surround us by people who believe in Him. Yet, we must make the decision to accept God into our hearts and decide to have a relationship with Him.
I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. — John 15:5
God gives us the opportunity to choose. But, in hindsight, if we truly look and observe, we can see where He has led us. We are only able to choose for ourselves because God allows us that power. If He did not want something to happen, He would simply not let it happen.
That doesn’t mean that everything that happens to us is His desire. He intended perfection since the time of creation. Obviously, we were all born into sin now and cannot be perfect. So, it is not God’s intention for someone to decide to steal something, for example. But, if that happens, there are good things that God can make happen as a result
My typical example of this is natural disasters. Well yes, of course, God could eliminate those instantly. However, what good comes from natural disasters? People often unite after natural disasters. There is an outpouring of love and generosity that is not present before a disaster.
So I chose to write today. I chose to post this today. But, God put it on my heart to elaborate more on Tuesday’s piece.
God empowers us.
It is not just that we have the ability to decide and make choices for ourselves. What really matters is the reason that it is possible to decide, to make choices, to live the way we do, that is all because of God.