Every Choice Matters (Or, My Major Fail)

I woke up this morning feeling sick and awful, and it’s my own fault.

I’ve been doing so good lately with exercising and making great food choices. I’ve been really noticing the difference, too. Every day I’ve been feeling better. Every day I’ve been waking up with huge amounts of energy and enthusiasm. It’s been awesome!

But today was different. Today I woke up tired and groggy and feeling sick.

Why?

My major fail:

Because yesterday, I made terrible choices.

Oh, it’s true that I made some good choices too. I ran in the morning. I ate a healthy breakfast and lunch.

But I also ate at least three cake-cookies, two Reese’s cups, and a veggie burger at J. Alexander’s (with both sides of the bun), complete with a nice pile of fries.

I don’t think the veggie burger itself was the culprit, but I do think the cake-cookies, Reese’s cups, hamburger bun, and fries did me in. 🙁

So when I woke up this morning feeling so tired and sick, my first thought was: “I really need to focus on a holistic lifestyle.”

When I say “holistic lifestyle,” I’m not talking about anything weird or freaky. I just mean living every day with the awareness that every choice matters. Every choice I make impacts every area of my life… whether I believe it or not.

Whether I like it or not.

• When I choose to eat bad food, it makes me sick…
• Which means I don’t want to get out of bed…
• Which means I don’t want to exercise…
• Which means I’m not as productive at work as I need to be…
• Which makes me grouchy…
• Which makes me snap at my husband…
• Which makes me have a REALLY bad day… (and have to repent to God and apologize to my husband, too)
• Which makes me want to come home and just crawl into bed and sleep…
• Which means I don’t get anything done at home that needs to get done…

You get the picture. The cycle can go on and on.

You could insert any number of bad choices at the top of the list above, too. It’s not just food. The truth is that every choice I make impacts every area of my life.

Unfortunately, the same is true for you.

Every choice you make impacts every area of your life. Your health, your marriage, your job, your children, your finances, your workday, your mood… all are impacted by every choice you make.

Papa God’s cool solution:

The good news is that our loving Father God has given us a solution. It’s found in Galatians 5:16-17:

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

Our flesh wants to make bad choices. But the good news is that God has given us His precious Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s job is to help us live every day under the covering of God’s presence; to live and walk and make choices that are continually glorifying to God in every area of life.

So the question then becomes: Will I walk in the Spirit? Will I abide in constant communion with Him, all throughout my day–even in the mundane things?

I want to. I’m asking Him to help me. I desire to know the Holy Spirit more than anything. I want to live every day, constantly aware of Him.

What about you?

The Holy Spirit is our Helper. He is the one that will help us live a holistic lifestyle, with every aspect of our lives conforming to His best, most perfect will for us.

Will you allow Him to help you today?

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