The Choices We Make
No matter what we do, failure or success, every outcome is determined by the combination of choices that we made. Yesterday, for example, I failed to accomplish my tasks I originally set out to do. That does not make me a failure, rather, I created events that were failures.... That was yesterday. I will act as an eraser, learn what I did, correct the mistake for future reference, and then erase it out of my memory.
Let me explain something...
The Fork
At any given moment, we are at a fork in the road. We decided between two things, not 50. For me to be placed in the situation of scarfing down a container of ice cream yesterday did not all come from the decision of putting that spoonful on my mouth, rather, a moultitude of decisions... The thought of ice cream that I decided to remain lingering on was just the beginning....
The Road...
Let me paint a clearer picture. Lets say a lustful thought enters a guys head, either by watching a girl on a beer commercial or something of the sort. All of a sudden, this thought leads to a desire... to which he then decides to either act upon it, or erase it. If he acts upon it, he could start calling some of his girl "friends." Then he decides to invite himself over to chat, to study, whatever. Then he decides to act upon his desires some more and flirt, increasing the heat of the moment. Next, he decides to chalantly close the door, exclaiming that it's a "better study atmosphere." Ha, yeah right... Well, each and every step of the way, this guy was driven to... do something he would regret.
Point of the story: He would probably all base the regret on the very last decision, rather the 50 choices he decided to follow on the way there. You don't accidentally stumble into Time Square, into debt, or into becoming a baby daddy. "Rome wasn't built in a day."
It's not about RULES
Where I'm getting at is this: I use to live by a set of rules for everything. Kicking a ball started out as a list of 14 things that went through my head before I kicked (making sure I was aligned, remembering that my foot goes down and up, and out and in, remmbering the snap of my knee, the follow-through, the look up, the contact point of the ball, of my foot, of my form, etc etc)... Same thing for getting put into a situation with a girl, or in a fight with a dude, or etc etc etc. This "list of rules" is crap! I could go through a list of daily affirmations "I am a confident man, I am a hard worker, I will succeed" blah blah blah. What really matters is not a list of rules, but remmebering that our life is decided by a single choice at a time.... granted, they are many choices, but we only deal with the present, the choice for the moment.
Even though I don't believe in zen, a quote I recall is something about the power is in the now, or the current moment is where the power is, not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now. Meaning, where ever you stand now, that is what you control.
So, in conclusion, forget about all the mumbo jumbo rules and regrets and confusion as to where you ended up, and how you got there. You decided each step of the way.
Doing what is Right (Righteousness)
So, from now on, each step of the way, I am going to remember the question, "What is the right thing to do?" I know I can do some things very well, but if it's not worth doing them, or not right, I should not be doing them. Thinking about ice cream,... what is the right thing to do? Thinking about girls... what is the right thing to do? Of course, everyone has their own sense of a moral law, however, I rely on the Bible, about loving the Lord Jesus Christ in all I do (feel, think, and act). Whatever does not push the cause for Christ is not worthy. However, do understand that I can glorify God in all that I do, in whatever I work or eat or do. Meaning, binging unhealthfully or lusting after girls or any other slefish desires, for pure self-pleasure is not to God's glory but to your own, hence, you dethrone God and make yourself out to be your own God, and hence your world will be in chaos, all out of whack. These types of people are called belly-worshippers: you worship your bellies, your own desires. You see something you like, you go get it. Food, drink, drug, people, money, car, whatever. You want to satisfy only one person, and that is you.
Your Purpose for Life
Remember, Jesus came not to take our lives (if you're thinking you want freedom, not slavery), rather, Jesus came to give us life, so that we can have it to the full! That's abundant life. Think about living in abundance! No longer living in this rat race people try and go through, never finding the finish, because they are simply trying to play a game to which that have no clue how to play. Lets say I give a PS2 to Christopher Columbus, what will he do with it? Well, most likely he'd find it as a poor footstool, and end up using the conrollers as fish ropes to tie fish to. He would have no idea what it is now how to use it. Same thing with our lives. That is why we are to follow God, listen to Him, to have any clue as to what our purpose in life is (in order to maximize our potential and have life to its full)
I've vented enough. On to making the right decisions.
Mark
PS I recommend the book, Purpose Driven Life
