Take it or Leave It: Making Hard Choices

Life is a Series of Hobson's Choices

(Adapted from Season 4, Episode 89)

Hobson's choice

A Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one thing is offered. Because a person may refuse to accept what is offered, the two options are taking it or taking nothing. In other words, one may "take it or leave it".Wikipedia

There are some things you need to settle if you’re going to be happy. What are those for you? Write them down. Start praying for peace around them. Start clarifying the true things in your life, and disavow yourself from the notion that you need to have a pain-free life in order to be happy. The degree to which you couple emotion and circumstance in your life is inversely proportional to your ability to be happy.

And what kills us, is the unwillingness to accept the quantum duality that life is hard and we can be happy anyway. We focus on the but and the and and the woe and the oh no and we forget the tho and yet.

Scriptures Mentioned

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Mark 9:28-29 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Hebrews 12:1-4

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold.

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