Promises, Not Choices

I think a lot about our battle with sin. Ok, MY battle with sin.

I have poor time management skills, preferring to satisfy my own needs first and leaving the important stuff for the last minute.

I'm a harsh judger of character, where I have no right to be a judge at all.

I wallow in low self-esteem 55% of the time, giving Satan a foothold waaayyy too many times over my mind and soul that are meant for God.


And every night (raise your hand if this is your mental ritual), my brain streamlines I'm gonna do better tomorrow, I'm gonna do better tomorrow, I'M GONNA DO BETTER TOMORROW!

Do you promise yourself that? Do you promise God that you're going to rise above the impediments of flesh and bone? I do. I do it again... and again... until I don't remember what the words of your promise mean anymore.

We trek the same cycle as our ancestors, from out of Egypt, past the crumpled walls of Jericho, through the loop of Judges, and beyond. On the one hand, it's wonderful to be so aware of our Lord and Savior that we feel the Spirit inside of us when we're not walking with Him.

Yet, for all our recognition, we can't seem to breach over that promise we make into the shadows of each night. Well, maybe it's time to shift our focus then. Instead of putting all our effort into the PROMISE, why not put it into the CHOICES that have to be made in order for us to improve.

I want to note that I only say 'improve', or 'better'. Not 'best' or 'perfect', which can not be achieved this side of Heaven. Hence, our improvement begins with our CHOICES to take the right step and not the wrong one. Our PROMISES aren't going to mean anything if we can't back up our commitment with literal examples of us striving to make it happen.

Example?

I have a choice to finish up my lesson plans for the week, or go to a movie (on a school night, no less! GASP!). Now the lesson plans don't have to be done tonight, but if I want to start changing my ways into more God-honoring ones, I have to make a CHOICE somewhere.

That's pretty basic and cliche, but you get the idea? People always say 'a thousand step journey begins with a single step.' It's the same with our CHOICES. One CHOICE becomes two, those two CHOICES become four...

And before you know it, we're living out the PROMISES we wanted to keep all along.

'On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 

You say you have counsel and might for war—but you speak only empty words. 

On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?'

~Isaiah 36:4-5~

(This was Sennacherib, King of Assyria's message to Hezekiah, King of Jerusalem. In the end, Sennacherib and his army would fall because Hezekiah's people placed their faith and future in God. They CHOOSE to stick with God, despite Sennacherib's words.)