Lent Devotion Guide #30 – Overcoming The Lies: I Don’t Have A Choice

GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2021

An Introduction
Hello Connect Church Family! As we prepare for the coming of Easter I will be sharing a sermon series titled, “Overcoming the Lies.” To accompany the sermon series and help us grow as individual Christians, we have also put together this devotional guide. I hope this will be a blessing to you! Today is the final day of this guide. A number of people from our church community have contributed to make this booklet possible. I hope you will join me and many others in your church family as we prepare for the coming of Easter!
-Pastor Adam Ricks

Read Romans 8:14-17

Upon having my company bought, I was faced with countless forms of uncertainty as were many of the fellow employees at my company. What did this mean for our job status, our income, our benefits and our stability? In all ways my and my co-workers lives were turned upside down. It felt like all of the power resided in my new employer to dictate what my future held. In fact, in talking to many of the existing employees of the buyer upon working to effect operational cooperation, they all held the same belief and embraced the fact that the company knew best for its entirety of employees. ‘What would our CEO have us do?’ was an actual common saying as the buyer workers would meet with the retained employees from my old shop. It was clear that it was expected that our choices and decisions were not intended to be our own to make.
But, that wasn’t the case. After tears of frustration, betrayal and despair, I was guided to the basic foundation I had forgot at some point: No earthly entity has control over me and my choices. I can choose a different path. I have been granted free will at the beginning of time. And, after that realization, and with communication with Amanda and my girls, I began to ask for guidance beyond myself and beyond my colleagues. And, from that cane opportunities. Many of which, I had no idea existed. I honestly would never have known those opportunities existed if not for this realization and getting outside my day to day. And, with those opportunities, I was able to find the choice that was laid before me in a path that sent my family and I here to Oklahoma. It was not the choice I thought I would ever make, but it was the choice presented to us to choose from beyond myself and our view of the world. And, it was the best choice we could have made.
-James Short (ConnectUMC Member)