Resilient: Bounce Back When Life Knocks You DownSample

  

Resilient through Unwise Choices

If you’re anything like me, you’ve made a few unwise choices; choices that led you down a road you never thought you’d be on. What’s so wonderful about God is that before we have to make a decision, He gives us guidance, even if we ignore it. Have you ever been faced with a decision that caused a sense of hesitation? It caused you to stop dead in your tracks because something about it just didn’t feel right. You had no idea why, but it just felt like something you weren’t supposed to do. 

I’ve had that happen to me on more than one occasion. It was a red flag sent by the Holy Spirit to stop me from doing something that I would soon regret. 

Because I’ve been known to be head-strong, always wanting to do things my own way because I felt that I knew better, I ignored those red flags. God would literally be tugging on my heart telling me not to do what I wanted to do, but I ignored Him. 

One time in particular, I was in an abusive relationship. Before I jumped into that relationship, I had an unsettling feeling. I could hear the Holy Spirit telling me “No,” but I felt that I knew better because the man I was interested in was a minister. I felt that he could help me along my “spiritual journey.” I thought, God can use him to help make me a better person. 

It was because of that relationship that I sought God with my whole heart, but it also brought me down, down to my knees. I was abused, burdened, and in despair. If only I’d listened to the leading of the Holy Spirit, I probably could have avoided a lot of unnecessary hurt and pain. 

So take it from me, you owe it to yourself and your future to pause and pay attention to what God is telling you.

Don’t ignore it.

Don’t pretend that you know better.

Don’t brush it off as if it is nothing.

How do you become resilient through unwise choices? First, recognize God’s sovereignty and repent for not taking heed to His direction. Disobedience often takes us down paths that God never intended for us to be on. Even when we bring suffering upon ourselves through fulfilling our own selfish desires, God doesn’t turn His back on us. He’s still there ready to help us from the hole we’ve gotten ourselves into, if only you repent and turn. 

Secondly, allow God to direct your path. He knows what will happen if you go left, when He specifically told you to go right. Yield yourself to His will and His way. Any other way could turn your world upside down, so pause and listen!

Prayer:

Heavenly Father thank You for being a guiding light. I ask, Lord, that You help me to yield my will to Yours. Help me recognize when I am about to make a mistake. Then lead me, oh God, to take heed and follow Your direction so that I may avoid pain that You never intended for me to experience. In Jesus's Name, Amen