Choices, Choices, Choices

By Sally Kasten, Apple Valley Campus

Philippians 1:19

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

One of the most incredible aspects in seeking the face of Christ is the realization that in His creation of us as human race, He loves us so much that he threads free will into fabric of our very being. 

Essentially, free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.  For you Mom’s out there, I’m certain you can site multiple examples of “free will” being exercised in your own children!

Acting at one’s “own discretion” without asking for God’s guidance, grace and wisdom is a method I’ve applied at the front end of many trials and I am here to tell you – it doesn’t work!

When the trials and tribulations of life inevitably rear their ugly heads you are put in a position to choose how you are going to cope with what lies ahead.  Are you going to handle a situation in a dramatic way, flailing all about, arms in the air, calling every friend on earth you know to seek comfort, wisdom or advice?  Or will you choose to follow examples of how Jesus handled trials:  40 days in the desert with no food with the express purpose of being tempted by Satan himself (Luke 4:1-13)?  Or in the aftermath of Jesus arrest and questioning by the High Priest and Pilate (John 18)?  Psalm 118:8 (New King James Version) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

Free will can be good and it can be bad but it is yours for the choosing!  Free will also has an enormous amount of freedom in it as well, because Jesus has walked this road before us.  He has given us a “blue print” of sorts to follow when times get challenging.

Trials and Temptations

James 1: 2-5

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Have you EVER taken a moment to consider a trial “pure joy”?!  A radical concept to be sure, but therein lies the FREEDOM! 

Surrender your trial into the hands of the Almighty and Sovereign God we serve!  He wants us to come to him with it all and is eager to give us what we need generously and without fault finding!