The Spirit-Controlled Life

I know this is way before my 2 week normal posting time. I just re-discovered this. It is something that a friend of mine sent me and I really appreciated. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Spirit-Controlled Life

It’s quiet. It’s early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.
In a few moments, the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising of the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calmness of solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the early morning will invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met.
For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the day’s demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I am free to choose. And so I choose.

I choose love . . . no occasion justifies hatred; no justice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose joy . . . I will invite my God to be the Lord of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical.

I choose peace . . .

I choose patience . . . I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complaining that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray.

I choose kindness . . . I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. I will be kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And I will be kind to the unkind, for such is how God treated me.

I choose goodness . . . I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I boast. I will confess before I will accuse.

I choose faithfulness . . . Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word; my loved ones will not question my love. And my children will never fear that their parents will not come home.

I choose gentleness . . . Nothing is won by force. If I raise my voice, may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself. I choose to be gentle.

I choose self-control . . . I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will not rule the eternal rule my present world. I choose self control.

~~~~LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, AND SELF-CONTROL~~~~
To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail I will seek His grace.
And the when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.