In Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, a yellow wood (the vague future) stretched before the traveler with two roads (choices) meandering into the distant unknown—much like a new year in January.
It offers choices. Which do I choose? Which will give me the greatest opportunity and benefit? Which resolution can I keep? Which plan will render the greatest success?
This sort of strategic thinking—serious consideration—is wise. But truly wise thinking requires more than mere analysis. It includes faith, humility, and courage.
Where do I place my faith? What do I believe? More fundamentally: In whom do I believe? Myself? God? Someone or something else? Who or what directs my choices?
The foundation for all your choices is the most important choice you’ll ever make. “Choose today—right now—whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). Yes, Joshua was talking about the Almighty God or personal idols. But that is the basic foundation of life choices. Who will you serve?
We serve the one who directs our lives, and all our choices proceed from that point. So it is essential to choose carefully, wisely. It is folly to ignore this choice and meander down the path of “whatever will be will be.”
Your belief directly affects your decisions. Of course, choices flow out of your desires, which are directed by your pride. Do you have the humility to recognize your weaknesses?
Do you have the courage to walk into the unknown year, trusting your desires, plans, ambitions, and future to God? Will you allow God to direct your life?
Proverbs 3:5-7 advises: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil” (ESV).
Faith, Humility, Courage in Action
Will you be like the ten spies who only saw giants, obstacles, and defeats? Or will you be like Joshua and Caleb who saw God’s promise, power, and presence?
When the twelve spies returned from surveying the Promised Land, ten focused on the challenges of the task. But in Numbers 13:30, Caleb assured his countrymen, “we are well able.” While they were thinking according to human ability, he encouraged them in what they could achieve with God. This is courage: the ability to see the obstacles and be confident that, with God, you can overcome them.
It is important to understand that just because we serve God does not negate our responsibility to act. It is folly to believe “I choose God, so God will do everything and I’ll benefit from everything.” No! Serving God requires action on our part. Serving self or any other also requires our action.
In the beginning, God gave Adam a purpose, a mission, and a goal. His purpose: be fruitful, birth a family. His mission: multiply and replenish, build a civilization. His goal: subdue and rule, develop a government. Then Adam had to decide how he was going to achieve his purpose, mission, and goal. God showed him the road and direction, but Adam had to choose what he would do and how he was going to do it. Adam had to be an active participant.
Choosing decides the road and direction you will travel. Who you serve will influence this decision.
Take Action
After choosing the road and direction, write out lifetime goals, annual goals, monthly goals, weekly goals, and daily tasks. Yes, it is hard work—but it is valuable work. The most important work you’ll ever do.
“Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” ~ Fitzhugh Dodson
The new year stretches before you like that yellow wood. Your choice of whom to serve—made with faith, humility, and courage—will determine which path you take and where it leads.
Frost wrote his poem as a friendly jab at his friend’s dawdling over whether the road he had not taken might have been the better choice. Frost, however, knew that the road one chooses to travel in life makes all the difference in the destination.
Start now! Choose the road that leads to the destination you desire.