I have been busy since Christmas on a lot of things but one has given me a lot to think about. Planning for the future. In the not too distant future I have to make up my mind what to do about a couple of workplace pensions that I have. Do I take the money out and try and beat professional investors with making money on it? Do I play safe and go for an annuity? Do I take the tax free part now or can I hold off on that for a while? Talking to qualified financial advisors helped a bit but in the end, as often is the case, with these sorts of things, its down to my wife and I to decide what we think works best for us. As one, very helpful advisor said to us, if you had a crystal ball that told you the future it would make it a lot easier to decide. The thing we have found is that what might seem obvious as the start of this sort of planning is not so obvious once you get into it.
It got me thinking about the choices that we all face in life and especially the ones that faced the early disciples of Jesus, life changing choices. All of the early ones during Jesus' ministry left jobs behind and gave up security. Big life changing choices. Paul, once he got it, gave up a way of life and took to the road, risking all sorts of dangers. Many of the early disciples found themselves in prison or worse. Life changing and life shortening choices.
And yet all these years later people still make life changing choices to follow Jesus. To allow their lives to be changed under the guidance of Jesus' teachings and the work of the Holy Spirit. Life changing choices that can lead to worldly insecurity. I had never thought that asking Jesus into my life over 30 years ago would make such a difference, and yet I don't look back with regret, wondering what if that had not happened, what if I hadn't got involved in church life, what if I had not accepted the call to full time ministry which resulted in ordination in 2010?
For example our agreeing to nearly 3.5 years in Italy in the 1990's was a direct result of prayer and an opportunity that occurred a month later I had 24 hours to decide upon. Being at peace with the decision helped us go for it. It turned out to be a step on the journey towards full time ministry, but was also a great blessing to us as a family.
The thing is that often I find it easier to make these sorts of life changing choices when I involve God in them than when God is not. I guess because I have learned, and I am certain the early disciples of Jesus learned, God will guide us, but allows us to choose. My litmus test, prayer and asking am I at peace with this choice or not? We are applying that to the pension choices in the same way that we have learned to do in so many other areas of our lives (which we omitted to do at the start of the pension process, well no one is perfect 😊).
1Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you
For anxiety we can read cares or burdens, the things that trouble us or are weighing us down. There are times when we need resources other than our own to get through things or to help us make choices that will or could affect the rest of our lives, life changing choices. Jesus is there to be with us, guide us and help us find the way through.
This is a song that I have been listening to for a while that you might find helpful. "Lean Hard".
It got me thinking about the choices that we all face in life and especially the ones that faced the early disciples of Jesus, life changing choices. All of the early ones during Jesus' ministry left jobs behind and gave up security. Big life changing choices. Paul, once he got it, gave up a way of life and took to the road, risking all sorts of dangers. Many of the early disciples found themselves in prison or worse. Life changing and life shortening choices.
And yet all these years later people still make life changing choices to follow Jesus. To allow their lives to be changed under the guidance of Jesus' teachings and the work of the Holy Spirit. Life changing choices that can lead to worldly insecurity. I had never thought that asking Jesus into my life over 30 years ago would make such a difference, and yet I don't look back with regret, wondering what if that had not happened, what if I hadn't got involved in church life, what if I had not accepted the call to full time ministry which resulted in ordination in 2010?For example our agreeing to nearly 3.5 years in Italy in the 1990's was a direct result of prayer and an opportunity that occurred a month later I had 24 hours to decide upon. Being at peace with the decision helped us go for it. It turned out to be a step on the journey towards full time ministry, but was also a great blessing to us as a family.
The thing is that often I find it easier to make these sorts of life changing choices when I involve God in them than when God is not. I guess because I have learned, and I am certain the early disciples of Jesus learned, God will guide us, but allows us to choose. My litmus test, prayer and asking am I at peace with this choice or not? We are applying that to the pension choices in the same way that we have learned to do in so many other areas of our lives (which we omitted to do at the start of the pension process, well no one is perfect 😊).
1Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you
For anxiety we can read cares or burdens, the things that trouble us or are weighing us down. There are times when we need resources other than our own to get through things or to help us make choices that will or could affect the rest of our lives, life changing choices. Jesus is there to be with us, guide us and help us find the way through.
This is a song that I have been listening to for a while that you might find helpful. "Lean Hard".
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