My Morning Choice in the Quiet
It's quiet. It's early. My coffee is hot. The world is waking up. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will be as bright as this east window.
The stillness of the morning will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm of the solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day's demands. It is now that I must make a choice.
Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose.
I CHOOSE LOVE!
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and love what God loves.
I CHOOSE JOY!
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical...the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God at work.
I CHOOSE PEACE!
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live in freedom from bitterness.
I CHOOSE PATIENCE!
I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I'll invite him to do so. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I CHOOSE KINDNESS!
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.
I CHOOSE GOODNESS!
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS!
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My husband will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their mother will not come home.
I CHOOSE GENTLENESS!
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of me.
I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL!
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot rule the eternal. I choose self-control.
I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL...
To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek God's face. And then when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
Galations 5:22-23a But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...
2 comments:
We often forget we have a choice! Life doesn't just happen to us. We make choices and for every choice there are consequences, both good and not so good. The fruit of The Spirit doesn't choose, though. An apple tree doesn't choose to bear apples. It just does because it's an apple tree. So it is with the Fruit of The Spirit. It just happens because we have made the choice to abide in The Spirit.
Margaret, you sound like a very wise woman. (I wish you had left your website or email address so you could be eligible for a FREE book!) Yes, the FRUIT (singular) of The Spirit is a result, not a choice we have. As long as we abide in The Holy Spirit, the fruit is evident in our lives, sometimes to our own surprise!
God bless you, Margaret. (email me your email address. My email is on the blog)