Making Tough Choices

When my friend invited me to her twelfth birthday party, I couldn’t contain
my excitement! I anticipated the fun we’d have—playing games, eating cake,
and swimming in her backyard pool. There was just one problem. My
Campfire group planned to see a movie that same day, and I wanted to go. I
couldn’t do both, so I had to choose. But how?

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Decisions can be hard. It feels like the older we get, the more tough
choices we have! My 12-year-old choices may seem easier than what we face
in high schooland beyond. But no matter how old we are, we can trust God to
lead us through every choice we face.

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In Psalm 32, King David writes about how God guides us. He begins by
describing his experience with forgiveness. David confessed his sin to God,
and God forgave him—so David wants to share the wisdom he learned and
encourage others to trust in the Lord to forgive and lead them. He says,
“Therefore let all the faithful pray to you” (verse 6). And God will
respond, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I
will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (verse 8).

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Chances are you’re facing a decision in your life right now. It may be
about what to do this weekend, or whether or not to join a team, or what
steps to take after high school. Maybe you’re deciding what to do about a
problem you’re facing or a conflict with someone you care about. Whatever
the decision, the wisdom of this psalm is still true today. God has His
“loving eye on you,” and He will be with you every step of the way.

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When we turn to Jesus and confess our sin, we can rest assured that we
are forgiven because of Jesus’s sinless sacrifice on the cross and His
resurrection from the grave. By putting our trust in Jesus, we get to live
as children of God, which means we have His Holy Spirit in us, guiding us
in our daily lives and helping us rely on God’s love through all the tough
choices we have to make. • Kristine Brown

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• Read Matthew 22:36-40. Which two commandments do all the other
commandments in the Bible depend on? How could these commandments help
guide the decisions we make?

• Read Psalm 37. Verse 3 says, “Trust in the Lord and do good.” What
examples does this psalm give of good choices? What about bad choices?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel
you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Ps.32|Ps.37