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 calm of solitude will be replaced by the
pounding pace of the human race. The refuge of the
early morning will be 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'm free to choose. And so I
choose.
I choose love . . .
No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice 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 God of circumstance. I
will refuse the temptation to be cynical . . . the tool
of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as
anything less than human beings, created by God. I
will refuse to see any problem as anything less than
an opportunity to see God.
I choose peace . . .
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.
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 complain that the
wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to
pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new
assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.
I choose kindness . . .
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to
the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind,
for such is how God has treated me.
I choose goodness . . .
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest
one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will
confess before I will accuse. I choose goodness.
I choose faithfulness . . .
Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not
regret their trust. My associates will not question
my word. My wife will not question my love. And my
children will never fear that their father will not come
home.
I choose gentleness . . .
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I
raise my voice, may it be only in praise. If I clench
my fist, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand,
may it be only of myself.
I choose self-control . . .
I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my
spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the
eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by
joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be
influenced only by God. I will be taught only by
Christ. 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 then, when this day
is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest.
