170 The Futility of Meaningless Choices

Meaning: “conveying a significance that is not directly expressed . . .”

As a last note on the futility of meaningless choices (though it is a subject to which I will inevitably return of necessity from time to time), Gentle reader, I must point to the damage such choices do, the hurt they can generate. Meaningless choices have devastating effects upon life, Gentle Reader. They can and regularly do trigger dire consequences in both the immediate and long term.

At the very least, even one meaningless choice is a missed opportunity to harvest good and therefore an occasion of lost harvest. Lost harvest means less provision for the future, may even mean compromise of one’s whole future.

Because of that, I regularly try to make meaningful choices (by praying my way through them).

And to do so means that I also must regularly empty myself of negative attitudes (admit them and confess them to God and be open about my failings to others).Then I must identify the appropriate positive attitude and replace the negative attitude with it. Finally, I must remember to practice the new attitude until by the power of Holy Spirit it becomes part of me. This process is what I call an identify-think pattern.

Scripture says, to paraphrase, that no temptation is happening to me that is not common to all people (1 Corinthians 10:13). So you and I—we—Gentle Reader, according to Scripture do have a lot in common and can profit or suffer from many of the same kind of things such as positive or negative attitudes. Bad thing about an established negative attitude is that it creates what I call a negative identify-react pattern of living. Good thing about an established positive attitude, it creates the positive identify-think pattern of behavior I described above. And that's always a good thing.

Therefore, once I identify a negative attitude in myself, I know immediately what I want to do—I want to do the opposite—I want to let go of the negative and embrace the positive. I have discussed this before, but it bears repeating.

Negative attitudes are adversarial to positive attitudes. It’s that simple. And, in my experience, every time I indulge in a negative attitude, it never gives me the desired result—satisfaction! In fact, every time I have indulged in a negative attitude it has resulted in hurt for both me and others.

Thus my determination to be free of hurtful attitudes and my sincere hope that you so determine also. Being free of hurtful attitudes protects one and all from hurt, Gentle Reader. And I think I can safely say that protection from hurt is something for which we all yearn in one fashion or the other.

And I think then I can also safely conclude that protection from the hurtfulness of meaningless choices positions us for abundant living even in a fallen world. But it is a choice each of us must make. What we choose makes us who we are. We are defined by our choices.

Thankfully, I need look no further for the perfect model of truth and meaningful choices than Jesus Christ who provides all the inspiration I need for all my life aspirations and can for you, too.

My choice.

To be continued . . .