You really have two options in life. No one gets away from these two options and you’ll deal with the tug of war between them every day of your life. I know what you are thinking. You think it’s good vs. evil. Perhaps it’s morality vs. immorality. Those are certainly things you’ll deal with frequently but I’m talking about two options that are both more subtle and more basic.

The Results of the Wrong Option

Before we get into the specifics of the options let’s talk about what happens if you go with the wrong one. If you choose poorly you will have a disconnected marriage or will experience the pain of divorce, possibly more than once. You will spend your life in a job that you despise just to pay the bills with no hope of anything else. You will either never have a relationship with God, will have one and fall away or always be on the surface with Him and wonder why you can’t go deeper. You will be overweight, out of shape and experience chronic diseases associated with those physical states of being. In short you will have a miserable existence, life a life of little consequence and come to the end of your life filled with regret. All for a single reason. You chose poorly.

The Results of the Correct Option

If you choose wisely you will have a happy and dynamic marriage. You will discover your passions in life and follow a path that allows you to meet your family’s needs while loving how you spend your days. You will enjoy frequent time with God and His people while continually growing closer to Him and serving others. You will eat in a healthy fashion but not be too stringent, enjoying the occasional indulgence as a result of your hard work. You’ll be physically fit, constantly pushing your body and feeling great. You’ll look and seem 10, 20 or even 30 years younger than your actual age. When the end of life nears you will be surrounded by those who love you and be ok knowing that you are about to meet the One who has been your first love for many years. All for a single reason. You chose wisely.

“A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one.”
-Ecclesiastes 10:2

A Bit of an Aside

This is the Happier Husband blog. The purpose is to help other couples find the kind of happiness that Sally and I have enjoyed for well over two decades. To show you the example of how God has led us down this path of almost unbelievable joy. Our lives are not perfect but it doesn’t matter. We have an amazing relationship because we have often chosen wisely. In some areas we have struggled. Not our relationship but other areas…because in some areas we have at times chosen poorly. But we recognize that and know the way to decrease and perhaps even remove some of those struggles. We know how to choose wisely.

Don’t Underestimate the Options

By now you are likely wondering VERY much about these two options. One of which leads to great misery and the other leads to great joy. The options are almost too basic to really understand the power they hold. But once you see the difference, once you trace them into the future in your mind, you will see why this is critical every single day for the rest of your life.

The Options

There are only two options and here they are, make sure you choose wisely. You can change or you can remain the same. That’s it. If you decide to remain the same you will never grow closer to your spouse. You will never remove the habits and behaviors that hold you back. You will never be able to be closer to God. You will stay in the same job, the same unhealthy eating patterns and the same lack of physical activity. Eventually people will grow and you will be left behind. BUT if you choose to change, if you choose to change daily, even hourly and minute by minute the world opens up to you. You will read, listen and learn. You will grow and discover more and better ways to love your spouse. You will seek God and His word; you will draw closer to Him and feel His power in your life. If you choose to change you will still feel fear but you will take the leap! You will stay in the job for the time it takes to complete what you know is your part then you will leave without regret. The people you leave behind will be better for having been a part of your life. You will be filled with joy and a zest for life along with the excitement of never knowing exactly what will happen next, but ready to change to meet the future head on.

“This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
-Joshua 1:9

The Challenge

This won’t be easy. The momentum of accumulated years of staying the same will do their best to hold you back. But remember you aren’t tied down with chains or ropes, but rather with a thousand tiny threads. With every change you make a thread breaks. It gets a little easier. Your freedom was lost by choosing over and over to remain the same. Your freedom will be won by choosing over and over to make a change. Every time you are at a crossroad, when there is a decision to be made you must give yourself permission to change. Embrace the fact that life won’t wait for you to grow and that you must change to get reach your God-given destiny. If you truly want the life God has for you; the abundant life that Jesus promised then you have to do one simple thing, change.

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
-John 10:10

Love you all!

-Troy