“Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.”  Proverbs 10:14

I just talked with a grandmother who is hurting over her granddaughter’s choices.  When I told her that I was heading to a coffee shop to provide coaching for some incredible people, she wanted me to pass along a message. She wanted to make sure they knew that the decisions they make now will affect their future.   

Some people never stop to realize that what they do early on will affect their reputation.  The decisions they make now with their relationships will affect their marriage later on.  And, the way they approach God will determine their faith for years to come.

The doorway to your future is nearer than you think. It is right in front of you.  Before you know it, years will have slipped by, relationships will have been established, habits will have been formed, and reputations will have been built. These patterns are not inescapable, but they are deeply rooted and difficult to change.  If you choose wisely now, you will be pleased later. If you make poor decisions now, you will have a lot to overcome in the future. 

This grandma also wants to make sure that you know that the decisions you make now will affect your future. As your coach, I want to know if her advice will affect your life.

Will it?

  Don’t give me a verbal answer. Just prove it by the way you live.

Your decisions today lead to your character tomorrow.

 We know that God can forgive any sin and that He can transform anyone, no matter how far they have fallen. Yet if we are wise, we will make good decisions now so that our lives can be a testimony of all that God can do to protect and bless. If this grandmother observed your life for a month, what do you think she would say to you? 

Give God a chance to speak to you about some of the things that might trip you up in the future.  Ask Him to reveal the areas where you might be tempted to make poor decisions that come with consequences. Write those areas down and begin to pray that God would grant you both the strength to avoid the pitfalls, and the foresight to see the temptations for what they are.