I like to look good. Not in a fashionable sense, per se, but in an “I’m a good person sort of way.” My children have taught me that no matter how hard I try I will never have it all together, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. I’ve struggled with this for years and more recently found myself lying to cover up bad decisions I was making. Even though it was the furthest thing from my conscious mind I had allowed myself to become like the Pharisees in Matthew 23. I looked great on the outside, but inside, I was dying.
The choice to follow Jesus is not just the initial choice to admit, believe, and confess–it is also the daily, momentary choice to choose rightly. Not choose easy. Not choose convenience. Choose right. Choose truth. Choose life. No matter how many bad/wrong choices you’ve made you can always choose in this very moment to do what’s right.
From one girl who desperately needs Jesus to help her choose right in THIS moment to another here are a few things that help me forgo the easy and choose Jesus.
1) Wise Counsel – It is so important to have wise and Godly counsel on your side. These are the people with whom you can be completely honest and who you know will be completely honest back with you. In my life, I had gotten to a point where I was avoiding these people/didn’t want to tell them all the nitty gritty details because I knew they would call me out on it. If you find yourself isolating from the wise counsel in your life, I urge you to instead run to them. Share with them.
2) Make scripture easily accessible – this can be done by not only reading the Bible regularly, but also putting scripture where you will see it. For some of us that may mean sticking post-it notes throughout our houses. For others it may mean writing in a journal. I typed some pertinent scriptures out in the “notes” section of my iPhone, took a screenshot, and set it as my lock screen on my iPhone so every time I turn on the phone I see scripture.
3) Come clean – be honest. There was some nitty gritty truth I had to face. I had to tell close friends that yes, I had lied. I was a hypocrite. I put looking good above being honest and in doing so I brought shame, but you know what? The minute I said I was sorry, the moment I turned the other direction…forgiveness was there.
That’s the same for you, friend. This Allume community, we’re about real light living. That means that we forgive, we embrace, and most of all, we stay. We are here. However public or private your issues we are here and we are cheering you on in your deliverance.
Here is one of my all time favorite quotes via the wonderfully insightful, C. S. Lewis:
“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists of being put back on the right road. A sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it can not ‘develop’ into good. Time does not heal it.” –p. VIII, The Great Divorce
When you’ve had to say you’re sorry and turn around from a bad decision, what helped you? What steps did you take to get right again?
Jennifer Camp says
May 17, 2013 at 2:45 amYes, He never tires of turning us back around, does He? So thankful for how He sheds light on our hearts. Thank you so much for your honesty and wisdom, Kristina.
Kristina Tanner says
May 17, 2013 at 4:36 pmJennifer, thank you so much for commenting and yes, he never tires of picking us back up. So thankful for that.
Eileen says
May 17, 2013 at 7:15 amBoy, have I been here. Yes, it’s daily choice we need to make. Great advice.
Kristina Tanner says
May 17, 2013 at 4:35 pmThanks so much for interacting, Eileen. Me too, me too.
Kela Nellums says
May 17, 2013 at 7:19 amMy husband has seen things in me that needed to be turned around sometimes. I allow it because I trust him. It isn’t always easy to take his wisdom to heart, but I soon “get it”.
What steps do I take to get things right? Dig into the Word and see what God has to say and repent if my mindset doesn’t line up w/His Word.
Kristina Tanner says
May 17, 2013 at 4:35 pmso true. i totally forgot to mention the part that one’s spouse can play in the “wise counsel” area. Thanks for bringing it up, Kela!
Michele-Lyn says
May 17, 2013 at 9:14 amThis walk…”The choice to follow Jesus is not just the initial choice to admit, believe, and confess–it is also the daily, momentary choice to choose rightly.” It’s where He meets us, isn’t? This is what it means to walk out our salvation. Love how honestly you share your journey with us. <3
Kristina Tanner says
May 17, 2013 at 4:34 pmRIght where he meets us….so very true.
lisha epperson says
May 19, 2013 at 11:21 pmI wrote a post last week about the power of an apology. My mother graced us with the gentle words of an apology when the craziness of motherhood led her to make less than ideal parenting choices. I’ve applied her little secret to my parenting and have found that the apology is what leads me back to God where I am forgiven. From the freedom of forgiveness I am able to grow and change. I loved this very transparent post Kristina. Thank you.
Gretchen Louise says
May 20, 2013 at 4:54 pmBeautiful. This post and you. <3
Kari Scare says
June 11, 2013 at 8:47 amGood advice for how to get and stay on track. Following these consistently and deliberately can definitely help us stay aligned. Love your honesty and transparency here, Kristina. People need to see that godly people mess up and aren’t perfect and don’t expect anyone else to be either. I have had many “off track” times in my life, several of them crash-and-burn kind of experiences. Fortunately, God keeps realigning me, and I keep growing. So glad He doesn’t expect me to be perfect, just being perfected.
MsLorretty says
July 17, 2013 at 6:58 pmLove the necessary transparency and honesty. Love it. NEED it. Thanks!