TOUGH CHOICES – DEVOTIONAL
Howdy Friends! Morning sun had become hot already. Grandpop and the boy had been working since before the sun had crawled above the barn. “Time for a break yet?” Grandpop suggested in a question.
“I can keep digging.” The boy assured him. “We only have another ten feet to go. Then we can hook up the waterline.”
“Three feet deep at ten feet long, by a foot wide.” Grandpop chuckled. “I wonder just how many of them feet that is in total.”
“You’re right. Time for a break!” The boy succumbed.
“Let’s wander into the barn and have a little coffee ta reenergize us.” Grandpop led the way.
“How do you drink hot coffee to cool off?” The boy opened his thermos and poured ice cubes and sweet tea.
“Coffee works anytime and every time!” Grandpop poured a cup from his own steaming thermos.
Grandpop took a sip and danced a little jig. “I guess it’s all about choosin’” He sat on a straw bale. “Ya ever notice that about life?”
“Coffee?”
“Haha, Na. Choices we make. How them choices come along and demand our attention.” He rubbed his chin as if stroking a beard. “I always thought them choices had a life of their own.”
“Really? Life of their own?”
“Well, sometimes easy choices come along, like tea, or coffee. Or ice cream or cake.” Grandpop laughed. “I can never choose between ice cream or cake, so generally I take both.”
“I’ll agree with that!” The boy beamed.
“Then out of nowhere come them tough choices, and we gotta make tough decisions. No way ta get around ‘em” Grandpop said. “Them’s the ones we wrestle with.”
“Like admitting we’re the one who let the gate open and the horses got out?” The boy put on a face of feigned guilt. “What’s a person to do if ‘one of them tough decisions’ comes along? How do we really deal with them.” He cast a questioning look toward Grandpop.
“That’s a tough decision in itself.” Grandpop assured.
“And that’s no help.”
“I’m still wrestlin’ with an answer.” Grandpop started. “We gotta study on it a bit.” Grandpop took a long slow sip of coffee. “When them rough and tumble decision makin’ times sweep down upon us I reckon our first thought is to wanna git away from it. Ignore it, put it off, ‘cause we’d rather not tackle the really rough path.”
Grandpop stood up, looked out the barn door across the rolling pasture to the mountains. “Tough choices sometimes gotta be made in life. That’s just the way it is. The trick is knowin’ how ta rope ‘em and steer ‘em in the best direction.”
“That sounds good.” The boy started. “But what’s the trick?”
“Well, my boy, an ol’ fella like me would tell ya in moments like that we really wanna find is peace. Problem is, puttin’ off what has to be done don’t bring peace. It loads ya up with more worry, anxiety, and confusion.”
“What’s the solution?” Impatience showed on the boy’s face.
“Diggin’ in, stuyin’ on it, ponderin’ all angles, and dealin’ with it right then. Like pullin’ off a bandaid, take ahold and yank it off. Get it done” After a pause Grandpop added, “And one more secret weapon.”
“What?” The boy shouted.
“Take it to God. Took me far too many years ta figure that out. But speakin’ with our Father in Heaven brings a peace. Like a steady hand. Can’t really teach ya that, my boy, it’s more like do and learn. He’ll guide ya though.” Grandpop turned back to the boy, “Ya might wanna study up on it a bit with a few Bible verses. Might wanna make some time ta do that, so yer ready ahead of time.”
Grandpop could see the boy was thinking hard. “I’ll make one of them tough choices right now. I’ll send you out younder ta get back in the ditch and resume diggin’. That waterline ain’t gonna fix itself.”
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Bible Verse – Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 3:5-6 -“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Bible Verse – James 1:5 -“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Bible Verse – Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Bible Verse – Isaiah 30:21 – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 16:3 -“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 19:21 -“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Bible Verse – Romans 12:2 -“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Bible Verse – Proverbs 14:15 -“The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.”
Bible Verse – Psalm 37:5 -“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.”
