My Choices Are The Wild Card Of the Hand I’m Dealt

In review of Romans 8:29 it says, “God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.”

Bottom Line:

God knew what he was doing. He decided at the start to shape the lives of those who love him like his Son.  His Son is the firstborn of many.  When we look to his Son, we see the original and intended shape for our lives.

What this means to me:

God has known me before he created the world, and has chosen me to be like his son. His son is the firstborn among all of us. Within Jesus, I can see the intended shape for my life. Over the past few days I have come to know how wonderful complex he has made me. In order to fulfill God’s purpose, I need to look at every dimension of my life and understand the factors that influence my identity. So far, I know that chemistry, connections, circumstances, and my consciousness affect the way I’m shaped. If these were like cards in a game of poker, the fifth one would be my wild card. My wild card affects my choices and the other ways I’m shaped. I may not be able to control the hand I was dealt, but I can use my wild card to change the way I live simply by the choices I make. Unlike all of God’s other creatures, I was created in his image. I can choose to do right or wrong and my freedom to choose is one of God’s greatest blessings and can also be one of the greatest curses. I make bad choices all the time that harm me and others around me. A wild card can change my hand. I didn’t choose my chemistry, but I can choose what to do with my body. I didn’t choose my connections, but I can make new relationships and mend or nurture the ones I already have. I can choose how I respond to my circumstances, and I can choose to stop believing any harmful things others have said about me. In short, my identity is shaped by my choices. The key will be, what choices will I make today that will positively affect the rest of my life.