Ryan Cardoza

This was my morning devotional from my Life Application Study Bible I always refer to (thank you Patricia!!!).

MAKING CHOICES ON SENSITIVE ISSUES (1 Corinthians 9-10)

All of us make hundreds of choices every day. Most choices have no right or wrong attached to them — like what you wear or what you eat. But we always face decisions that carry a little more weight. We don’t want to do wrong, and we don’t want to cause others to do wrong, so how can we make such decisions?

If I choose one course of action:

• does it help my witness for Christ? (9:19-22)
• am I motivated by a desire to help others know Christ? (9:23; 10:33)
• does it help me do my best? (9:25)
• is it against a specific command in Scriptures and would thus cause me to sin? (10:12)
• is it the best and most beneficial course of action? (10:23, 33)
• am I thinking only of myself, or do I truly care about the other person? (10:24)
• am I acting lovingly or selfishly? (10.28-31)
• does it glorify God? (10:31)
• will it cause someone else to sin? (10:32)

My Thoughts:
This sail has been difficult for me. Every day I have had to take my desires to the Lord and lay them at His feet. Acting out in my own strength felt like the right thing to do, and there were days that I just wanted to break down the doors in my own strength, not recognizing or caring who it might hurt in order to get what I wanted. However, each day the Lord gave me the strength to take my desires to Him and leave them with Him. I’ve had my times of frustration, anger, unnecessary loneliness, but it was all an opportunity to be drawn back to God. I’m grateful for these questions this morning, as I am able to look back and see the Lord cleansing me of my pride, selfishness, bad motives and restoring me closer to Him.

My Prayer:
Lord, As we transition into new seasons of our lives and have choices with difficult decisions to make, I pray that we would first bring them to you. Would you guide our every step as we make choices that will affect our lives and those around us. Please reveal to us the motives of our hearts and your will for our lives, and give us discernment to make the best choices. In Jesus name, Amen.

Love,