Know Your Options

Published: 20th of January, 2024

Knowing your options in times of difficulty is very important. The Psalmist declares “the Lord is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” God should be our primary source when we face difficulties in life, but God may direct us to seek help or He may send help through various earthly channels.

A few days ago, I visited the town of New Amsterdam in my homeland of Guyana, South America. I sat down sipping a Lucozade drink and staring out the window. My mind reeled back to more than 20 years ago to the time when I was still a teenager. I use to visit this town and walk these streets. I use to derive so much joy doing so. As the image of my younger self impressed upon my mind, my lips curled into a smile and joy pervaded my heart. I was such a strong and handsome young man, but what was even greater was the joy, peace, and wisdom that God had put in my heart.

In this article, I’ll take a look at just one aspect of that wisdom: knowing my options. I’m happy and thankful to God that I always knew my options in times of difficulty. Today, we have thousands, if not millions of youths, who have the wrong options on the table. Many of these youths, lacking opportunity or the right job, engage in criminal activities to get over a financial obstacle. Some rob the elderly at gunpoint and knife point, some snatch gold chains off the necks of passersby, some break into homes, rob, rape, and kill, and some engage in cyber crimes and other devious activities. These people obviously do not know their options in life. They do not pursue the righteousness of God. The jail and graveyard are full of them, and karma gets the rest of them.

This morning, I watched a television documentary of a man who hijacked a war tank in the USA several decades ago. This man was tall, good looking, and physically strong. He was in his mid-thirties. He went on a rampage with the war tank driving over cars and destroying properties until the police killed him. Thankfully, no one else was hurt by his actions. It was later revealed that his wife had divorced him and that he was also financially bankrupt. This man sadly didn’t know his options, and that is what unfortunately led to his sad and tragic end.

When you’re facing a difficult situation financially, here are your options:

1. Pray to God and ask for help and guidance.
2. Look for jobs, businesses, and opportunities that can tide you over your situation.
3. Read books and other literature that were designed to help you overcome difficult situations.
4. Ask for help from friends, family, and even strangers, with the intention of repaying more than you were lent.

Here are some of the things that should never be one of your options.

1. Sitting down and not doing anything.
2. Robbing or stealing from someone.
3. Harming someone to get money.
4. Promote, traffic, or sell any harmful or potentially harmful substances such as illicit drugs.
5. Committing suicide or in any way harming yourself.

Today, selfish and evil persons would have you think that it is shameful to ask for help. They would try to push you into taking one of the second set of options. Yet, if you examine their lives carefully, you might see that they had more help than they can ever repay.

By knowing my options in times of difficulty, I’ve been able to rise above many challenges. In times of scarcity, I wasn’t hesitant to ask for help, and in times of abundance, I was happy to lend or give to persons in need. This is the beauty of life, and what God wants us to see, but those who do not align themselves with the righteousness of God cannot see the beauty of the systems He has put in place.

Remember, when you are facing a difficult time in life, if you trust in God as your strength and refuge, He will always be there for you. He will make a way where there is no way, and in the middle of all this, it is very important that you know your options.

Related: The Expression of Faith