Day 2488 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

James 1:21 NIV

I've had something on my mind for a long time now and it actually fits pretty well with everything we've been discussing lately. Reading the Bible. Spending time in prayer. Setting our sights on doing what's right. Aiming for righteousness. Being willing to change. Following a path of humility. Surrendering our hopes and dreams to God's plans. It's all a choice. Nearly everything in life is a choice.

Do we stay the same or do we do something new? Do we settle for where we've been or do we aim in a different direction? Do we continue to try and make our lives look like those of everyone around us or do we break out of the herd and follow where God is leading us instead? Do we settle for what's normal and popular and acceptable or do we refuse to settle for anything less than God's plans and purpose for us?

I'll be the first to admit that I've chosen the wrong side of every one of those choices. I've allowed so many things to come between me and God. I've chosen this world over Him countless times in my life. I've chosen myself over Him even more. But that's where the incredible gift of grace comes in. That's where we realize that change isn't a bad thing at all. In fact, change is one of the most amazing gifts that we could ever hope for in life.

I look back and see all the choices I've made and the results that they gave me and I see so much room for improvement. I see so many times that things could have gone better if I had chosen God's way over my own. I see innumerable things that I could have done differently that would have undoubtedly led to something far better than all the shame and regret that I found by doing things my way. And that’s why I want to change.

What's been on my mind for so long now is that I want to get rid of anything that comes between me and God. I want to get rid of everything that holds me back from being who He made me to be. I know deep down that I have a chance to be something good. I have a chance to help others, to make a difference, to do something that shares God's love and light with this world. But I know that I can't fully accomplish any of those things if I continue to allow things to get in the way and hold me back.

And the same goes for all of us. We all have a chance to be something better than what we've been. We have a chance to live a life that doesn't leave us with nothing but shame and regret. We all have a chance to make a difference and do some amazing things for God's kingdom. The Bible tells us that very thing. Just check out Ephesians 2:10. And He can still use us to do some incredible things even though we've spent so long settling for far less.

But only if we make that choice. Only if we're willing to learn from our mistakes. Only if we're willing to change. Only if we're willing to do something new and aim higher than we've ever aimed before. Friends, all of us have been corrupted by sin and selfishness. We've all made so many mistakes that hope seems like the furthest thing possible. But God's mercy not only sees what we've been but also what we can still be. Are we willing to open our eyes to see it as well?

No matter what we've been we can still be something good. We can still turn onto the path that leads to life and eternal salvation. We can start making better choices, choices that lead us to more than anything we've found so far. But it's on us. We have to choose to change, to learn, to try harder. Nothing can hold us back from being who God made us to be except ourselves and the choices we choose to make. Let nothing come between you and God. Don't let anything keep you from being a better person and living a better life.

We only get once shot at this, and the sum of our choices carry an eternal weight that we can't begin to understand. Probably something we should take a little more seriously than we have in the past.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold