There's No Such Thing as an "Easy Way Out"

When most people think about the day they were born, they imagine their mother and father at the hospital, dad anxiously pacing the floor, mom enduring the agony of labor until finally that glorious moment arrives and their precious baby is placed safely in its mothers arms. Proud grandparents, aunts and uncles, gathered around to welcome the newest member of the family.

However, when I think about the day I was born, I imagine my birthmother alone and scared as she gave birth to the baby she’d been carrying for nine months that would soon become someone else’s child. My heart breaks for her as I imagine the moment she held me and then handed me over to a social worker, believing she’d never see her child again. I can’t imagine how she must have felt when she left the hospital empty handed.

I know it was painful, but I am so thankful to my birthmother for making this choice. I learned recently that abortion was legalized in the state where I was born three years before my birth. I realize at that an abortion could have offered her a seemingly less complicated alternative…at least less complicated than carrying and delivering a baby, then trying to get back to life as usual. I know her choice was a difficult one. I know she took the narrow path, and I owe my very existence to her.

I once heard a preacher say that when we are faced with a really difficult decision, Satan often presents us with a seemingly easy alternative. The only catch is that this easy option always requires a moral compromise. Satan sees our indecision as an opportunity to get a foothold, to lead us away from God and down a path that leads to destruction. If you’re facing a tough choice today, pray that God will direct you down the right path, even if it’s the choice that is more difficult. Finally, remember and be encouraged by these words:

1 Peter 5:8-9 (The Message)
Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.