Good Choices… and Better Ones

Most days are made up of small decisions, stacked so close together you hardly notice them. It’s almost like living with a menu in your hands.

You choose what to say. What to ignore. What to spend. What to watch. What to eat. What to wear. Who to text back. Whether to push through or pause. None of it looks dramatic, but it adds up. And the tricky part is, many of our options aren’t bad. They’re fine. Reasonable. Even good.

But “good” has a way of crowding out “best.”

That’s why I love Paul’s prayer in Philippians. It sounds like someone who understands how layered life can be. He prays that our love would grow “more and more in knowledge and all discernment… that you may approve the things that are excellent” (Philippians 1:9–10, NKJV).

I’ve always found it interesting that he connects discernment to love.

I sometimes think of discernment as spiritual “detail-noticing”—like a kind of holy detective work. But Paul ties it to a heart shaped by God’s love. Discernment isn’t just recognizing what’s wrong; it’s learning to notice what’s excellent—what reflects the heart of Jesus and bears lasting fruit.

Because love changes how you evaluate everything.

When Christ’s love is active in you, different questions begin to surface. Not just, “Is this allowed?” but, “Is this wise?” Not just, “Can I?” but, “Should I?” Not just, “Is it good?” but, “Is it what matters most?”

Paul goes on to describe a life “filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:11, NKJV). That phrase—“by Jesus Christ”—matters. It quietly lifts the pressure. This isn’t self-improvement powered by effort; it’s fruit that grows through connection.

So what does that look like when a decision isn’t clear?

Sometimes it’s just a pause—a moment to invite God into the process and ask, “Lord, help me see this the way You see it.”

Discernment grows slowly, the way most meaningful things do—through prayer that’s more relational than formal, through Scripture that shapes your instincts, and through listening for the Spirit’s steady nudges.

And over time, something shifts.

You begin to recognize “excellent” more quickly—not because you’re perfect, but because your heart is being trained to value what heaven values.

So yes, make good choices.

But also ask God for the grace to choose the better thing—the quieter thing, the truer thing—the one that grows love in you instead of just checking a box.

Because the goal isn’t a life full of decent decisions.

It’s a life that quietly becomes more like Jesus, one choice at a time.

If this Fireside Chat warmed your spirit and sparked fresh resolve to live what you believe, fan that flame with Scripture—“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). Pull a little closer to the Light, and carry it into the week ahead.

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