Toolbox For LifeSample

What Has Final Authority in Your Life?

“The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable. No one can understand how deceitful it is” (Jeremiah 17:9 GW).

One fundamental question in life stands above all others.

What will have the final authority in your life?

What sources will help you determine your values? Will it be your parents? Or your peers? Perhaps your school or the books you read? What about the movies or television shows you watch, or the songs you listen to?

God allows you to make the decision. He’s given us free will.

Most of our options come down to three different choices.

Myself: We can depend on our gut to tell us what to do. But there’s a problem with that. Study after study reveals that our perceptions are more likely to be wrong than right. In fact, sometimes we lie to ourselves. In Jeremiah 17:9, the Bible says, “The human mind is the most deceitful of all things. It is incurable. No one can understand how deceitful it is” (GW).

The World: We can depend on what other people think to determine our values. The problem is, the world often values the wrong things. For instance, the world emphasizes beauty over character, or tells us to pursue whatever feels good, or declares that whoever has the most possessions wins. We’re bombarded with these worldly values through all sorts of media — so much so that it’s easy to start thinking God put us on this planet to look good, feel good, and get stuff. But that couldn’t be further from the truth!

God’s Word: God’s Word is objective and truthful, as opposed to our own perceptions or the world’s opinions. God’s Word says, “If you continue in My word . . . you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32 NASB).

After reading about these choices, where will you look to determine your values? Which one will you choose to be the final authority in your life?

What will have the final authority in your life?