Consider this quote by Oswald Chambers: “Our destiny is not determined for us, but it is determined by us. Man’s free will is part of God’s sovereign will. We have freedom to take which course we choose, but not freedom to determine the end of that choice. God makes clear what he desires, we must choose, and the result of the choice is not the inevitableness of law, but the inevitableness of God.” A small boy, upon hearing about his freedom to choose, said, “That sure sounds like a lot of work to me.”

The boy was right; it is a lot of work. The great news is we do have the freedom to choose, but with freedom comes responsibility. Our freedoms need restraints, boundaries. These are for our ultimate good and protection. In marriage, constraints also exist that limit our freedoms but save the sanctity of our commitment. We are always free to choose our own way instead of God’s way, but every time we make that choice, we receive His consequences.

Are you and your spouse seeking God’s best for your marriage through making wise choices and by seeking to please God? He will bless you and your family if you choose His way.

Discuss: What choice in your life has caused the greatest good? The greatest trial?

Pause here and remember that it is often difficult for people to trust God’s judgment over their own human wisdom. God keeps close to His heart those who diligently pursue His path. “What they do won’t soon be forgotten. In hard times, they’ll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they’ll be full. God-despisers have had it; God’s enemies are finished—stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air” (Psalm 37:18-20 MSG).

The important thing about a man is not where he goes when he is compelled to go, but where he goes when he is free to go where he will.
A. W. TOZER (1897–1963)

Building Relationships Across Nations | Bringing Christ to the Home