Choices Change your Direction

Choices

A friend’s son is in the military. He recently came home, after basic training, and found a “Dear John” letter. His wife took their infant son, and moved across the country. She said she didn’t love him anymore. My friend and his wife are devastated. They are afraid they’ll never have a relationship with their grandchild. In frustration, James told me, “I told him that they were too young to get married. They needed to wait, and I was right.” I asked how old they were when they married, and he said they were in their late twenties.

Having been married for forty-four years, I realize that many things have changed, but I was twenty-one and my husband was twenty-two on our wedding day. Not only that, our son and his wife were the same ages we were when they married fifteen years ago. So, I can’t help but think that age really isn’t the important issue. So, what is?

After reflection, I think it all comes down to our choices. Fortunately, I was taught, at a young age, that God is concerned about all of our choices. I realized the need to pray about the important decisions of life. I also came to see that each choice led to another. There is a snowball effect, so I need God’s wisdom.

I dated some in high school, but it was just fun. When I started college, I took it more seriously. I thought about how many people I knew who met their spouse at this point in life. So, as a freshman, I made a commitment to the Lord. I would not date anyone who was not a committed Christian. I realized that anyone I dated was a potential spouse. I didn’t need to take the chance of becoming emotionally invested in someone who did not share my love for Christ.

That choice eventually led me to Jack. He was not only a strong believer, but he had accepted the call to the ministry. Our dating relationship was one of growing, both together and in the Lord. We prayed about our relationship. We were people of commitment. So when Jack proposed, I already knew with assurance that he was God’s choice for me. I knew we could expect ups and downs in our relationship, but dependence on God would get us through the tough times. And…it has.

Perhaps maturity, rather than age, was a factor in the dissolution of my friend’s son’s marriage. But maybe committed choices had something to do with it, too. Life is just a series of choices. We all make some that are good and some that are not so good. But, if we take the time to turn to a loving, all-wise God before making vital decisions, we just might find that we will make more good choices than bad.