Being a Chooser

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Being a Chooser By Gail Rodgers

The radio played in the background as I drove home and thought about my day. Suddenly a quote caught my attention. I missed hearing to whom it was credited, but it was good: “No one is born a winner or loser, but each one is born a chooser.”

“How true,” I thought as I maneuvered through the traffic. I was a chooser…in every area of my life. Oh, I may not always choose my circumstances, but I would always be in charge of choosing my responses to those circumstances.

God gently nudged my heart and I began to reflect on some of the thoughts I was choosing to entertain about circumstances and people that day- rather negative, critical, impatient thoughts. He reminded me that a response in life always begins with a thought. Left alone, these thoughts would surely spiral me down and impact my responses in the same way. The choice was mine. God’s Word came to my mind.

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5b).

God is so good to remind us that we need to take stock of our thoughts. Thoughts are the seeds in our lives that result in actions and responses. We choose to let them stay or to take them captive and throw them out.

I realized I had been allowing seeds of thought in my mind and heart that I did not want growing in my life. God used that quote on the radio to remind me that I was a chooser. I knew the kind of responses I wanted in my life and these thoughts would not get me there.

God’s Holy Spirit is our Helper. He draws us on to be what we, in our own strength, cannot be. He helps us toss aside the bad seeds that would bear sour fruit if left unattended.

Where are your thoughts today? Being aware of what you are choosing to dwell on puts you in a proactive position. Before thoughts of irritation and frustration grow into angry, bitter roots, choose to ask God’s Holy Spirit to help you take those thoughts captive and to respond to your circumstances with His grace, love and wisdom.

Question: Where are your thoughts today?