We Don't Get to Choose!

Sorry for another blog post without pictures, but I wanted to jot down these thoughts and share them with you. I do have a funny post coming soon as well as some exciting news to share - no I am not pregnant, but that will have to wait until another day.

I have been struck by this thought lately and today, at church, the sermon only reiterated it. Our church is doing such an amazing series and today they spoke on loving completely - but in the way the Lord loves us. This concept is not a new one to me. Doug even said when the sermon started that he had heard this message a million times, but I reminded him that God can always use a similiar message to get a different point across. I believe He did that for me today.

You see, the thought that has been on my mind lately is that there are many things about me, Alison Moore English, that I didn't get to choose. I didn't get to choose my race, I didn't get to choose my family, I didn't get to choose where I was born or where I would live as a child, I didn't get to choose how many siblings I would have, I didn't get to choose my talents, and so goes the list. All these things were chosen for me.

Now in my case this pretty well overwhelms me because I didn't get to choose the wonderful life, family, and talents that I have been given. It humbles me that I have done nothing to deserve what God has blessed me with. Others, maybe even you reading, may not feel this way. Your circumstances weren't or are not so great. You wonder if you got the raw end of the deal. This in itself makes me realize that I need to be thankful. Regardless of your feelings about the choices that were made for you by our Heavenly Father, there is one thing you do get to choose - HIM!

I was really struck by this today. I have been a Christian for twenty-five years and became commited in my faith at twelve. I realized today that there are many times that I do not choose my God. I do not choose His ways, to love others, to forgive, to move on. I still choose myself. This too is humbling. I have been so blessed with things that were given and I still choose myself.

Obviously this got me thinking of how God wants me to love and choose to do for others. That is also a choice I get to make - and maybe seek to give to those who were given circumstances, lives, parents, siblings that have not been as much of a blessing in their lives. I pray I seek to choose to love those who God places in my way and I choose to seek what He has for me!