Where Are You Empty and Tempted to Take Control?
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“Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses can be given him.” This line jumped out at me this morning when I read the first reading. The key line here is “whichever he chooses.” The choice is in our court.
We have a choice each day to choose life or death, good or evil. For most of us, we’re making a mix of good and bad choices each day, and we know that in our hearts. We know we’re choosing some things that aren't leading us down the path of more life and goodness.
For example, choosing not to live a healthy lifestyle, choosing to only dwell on the negative, choosing a dead end job that doesn’t give us meaning or fulfillment, choosing to be worried and stressed out, choosing a frenzied lifestyle vs. a simple one, or choosing to be irritable and angry more often than not are choices some of us are making day in and day out.
Those choices aren’t choosing more life, they are choosing more death. You know that by the fruit of those choices. Are they leading you to more uplifting and happy days? Or are they leading you to more problems, stress, and dismal days? As the line says, whatever we choose is what is given to us. We can make better choices that give us a better life!
There may even be small things that you’re choosing that you don’t think are choosing death, but are limiting you from more life. For example, I recently cut back on my nightly glass of wine with dinner and replaced a cup of coffee each morning in my diet with a green juice and I couldn’t believe the difference it had on my energy levels. I had no idea those choices were limiting my energy. They were holding me back from more life. God showed me that.
Fortunately, Lent is coming and it’s a good time to pick something to let go of, that's choosing death in your life. What’s leading you to less life? Pick that to fast from this Lent. This is a good week to reflect on how you’re choosing life or death, good or evil each and every day in preparation for Lent which starts next week.
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, certified health and life coach, and volunteer. She is the creator of the ministry Women in Waiting | Made for Fruitfulness and is a published author. Her writing interests and focus areas include Gospel reflections, Franciscan spirituality, women's spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and daily living.
