I was talking the other day to a very dear friend of mine whom I find in a very large delimma, facing circumstances reminding me of my pre-mustache days. His is a situation so reminiscent of where I have been in the past that it sounded like he was reading some statement I had made at an earlier time back to me. To see a friend in a place where their future could be either a glorious story of boldness through Christ or a greatly inhibited mediocrety put me on full alert. This is an awesome guy, who I wouldn't want to make the mistakes I did because I thought I knew better. So, after talking to him and even suggesting some Chambers, this was what I read today.

"IMAGINATION V. INSPIRATION
'The simplicity that is in Christ.' 2 Corinthians 11:3
Simplicity is the secret of seeing things clearly. A saint does not think clearly for a long while, but a saint ought to see clearly without any difficulty. You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool. If there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as daylight. The reasoning capacity comes afterwards, but we never see along that line, we see like children; when we try to be wise we see nothing (Matthew 11:25).
The tiniest thing we allow in our lives that is not under the control of the Holy Spirit is quite sufficient to account for spiritual muddle, and all the thinking we like to spend on it will never make it clear. Spiritual muddle is only made plain by obedience. Immediately we obey, we discern. This is humiliating, because when we are muddled we know the reason is in the temper of our mind. When the natural power of vision is devoted to the Holy Spirit, it becomes the power of perceiving God's will and the whole life is kept in simplicity. "

Its so hard to try not to just think out a good loophole. I did it for years, I probably killed some of my best brain cells trying to figure out the truth instead of sitting in silence waiting on the Lord and obeying fully. Its so much easier to see not only the truth about the choice, but the great gap between the outcomes of the different options. Its not really the choice it appears to be, its a simple one that is always identical. Chose God, or chose what makes more sense, sounds better, seems positive, etc. I've nevere been one for wise choices. Sure, alot of people, even Christians, would consider my decisions well founded, but they don't even see the heart of it.

I love my friend. I'm scared for him. Not because I trust him so little, but because I only trust him as much as I trust myself. Most people might not see this issue as large as it is. Either way, most people wouldn't notice the difference made. But the decision could either show his life to be one devoted to God's glory, or one devoted to his decision making skills and well-being.