The Best Choice

Dear (insert your name here),

If there is one thing I have learned as a result of my own mistakes when I was your age, it is that God is infinitely more loving and patient with us than we will ever be with one another.  That is his divine nature.  It is not something I understand but something I accept by faith because I have experienced his love and forgiveness.

You have made a lot of mistakes in your young life on this planet, and so have I. Even in my fifties I make lots of poor choices and have to live with the consequences as a result.  But I have placed my trust in God and he helps me every day to make better choices than the day before.  He helps me stand back up when I fall down and gives me wisdom when I need help making decisions about what to do.  My life isn't easy but I have peace because I have given my heart to Jesus and given God permission to do whatever he wants to do with my life.  I am not perfect, but every day I walk a little closer with him and grow in confidence that he will fulfill his promise to take care of me.

Jesus loves you in spite of every bad choice you have made and every sin you have committed.  He loves you so much that he died for your sins so you could spend eternity with him (John 3:16).  Our sins require the death penalty, but Jesus took the nails and died on the cross in our place (Romans 6:23, 3:23-25).  He is the God of second chances and new beginnings, but we have to repent of (turn away from) our sins and follow him by living in obedience to his Word.

It's not too late to turn your life around and let God repair the broken pieces.  It's what he does best!  None of the bad things in your life are wasted because he promises to work all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

God has given us all free will and the ability to choose what we will do and whom we will follow.  You can choose to continue controlling your own destiny and living life on your own terms and hope that everything works out OK eventually.  Or, you can choose to turn away from the things you know are wrong and harmful, turn to his Word for guidance, and surrender your life to Jesus, knowing with confidence that he will work it all out according to his promises.

Life on this planet will never be easy, but I can promise you that it will be far better if you invite Jesus into the equation by asking him into your heart.  He will show you the way when you need direction, comfort and provide for you as no one else can, and replace the broken pieces of your life with his peace -- if you will choose to let him.  Please choose him!  I can assure you that it will be the best choice you ever make.

Praying for you,

Dee Dee

Living in the Moment

Teens, and adults for that matter, are faced with choices everyday--choices that are hard and produce an inner conflict that often consumes our thoughts and tugs at our hearts. Our natural tendency is to simply make the choice and move forward, just to avoid dealing with the conflict. When the choices you make involve willful disobedience, reckless behavior, or the use of illegal or harmful substances, you are setting yourself up for a dangerous outcome and hurting the ones who love you most. Perhaps you don't care about that. Maybe all you are interested in is living in the moment and doing what feels good to you.

Even the most committed Christians I know struggle, or have struggled, with sin and the conflict of self versus Spirit (as in the Holy Spirit). When faced with the choice to do what is right according to God's Word or to do what satisfies their fleshly desires, they often choose the latter. Often God is merciful and spares them the full punishment their sinful choices deserve, but sometimes he withholds his protection and allows them to fully reap what they sow. Just because someone doesn't get what he or she deserves for a sin they committed, doesn't mean that you won't. It is not worth the gamble. If you play with fire (literally or figuratively), you will eventually get burned.

When you commit that sin, that "living in the moment," you have to ask yourself if being outside of God's will is really worth the risk of being subjected to his judgment. Perhaps you don't know what God's will is, or perhaps you have chosen to ignore that still, small voice that nags you on the inside saying, "Don't do that. You know it's not right." That check in your spirit is really God's voice telling you which way to go. If you don't listen and as a result turn away from his path and his will for your life, then you are playing right into the hands of Satan and giving him permission to come in and destroy you.

There will be a day of reckoning for all of us, a judgment day when our holy and righteous God holds us accountable for the sins we have committed and the deeds we have done, whether good or bad. Wouldn't you rather be found faithful and righteous than ashamed before the One who gave his life for you?

The Bible tells us, "If we claim that we're free of sin, we're only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins—make a clean breast of them—he won't let us down; he'll be true to himself. He'll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing. If we claim that we've never sinned, we out-and-out contradict God—make a liar out of him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God" (1 John 1:8-10, The Message).

I don't know what area of sin you are struggling with today, but I do know this: God is faithful to forgive and will not condemn anyone who humbly repents and turns away from his sin (Romans 8:1). The bottom line is, you have to be willing to repent and lay aside your sinful desires and instead surrender to God's way of living. The Bible tells us, "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" (Romans 8:6-8, NIV).

As you are living in the moment, wouldn't you rather it be a peaceful moment rather than one full of conflict and fear? As long as you wrestle with God and fight the Holy Spirit who lives within you, you will never have a moment's peace. Surrender to God's will and walk in His ways. It is the only way to truly live.