Growing up, I heard a phrase that shaped not only how I acted, but how I thought. I heard this phrase leaving to go to school, leaving from class to class, when I went to people’s houses, and basically before I went anywhere in public: Morgan, be a good girl. My whole life with the same standard to pursue: to be a good girl. Make good decisions, make good grades, have good friends, be a good person. And there’s nothing wrong with those things. Actually, by the world’s perspective that’s a commendable goal. But recently, I’ve been challenged spiritually by that same goal that I used to strive to be as a young girl. I was in a meeting when one of the ministers of our church said something that I won’t forget any time soon: Good is the enemy of best. Yeah re-read that again. Whenever I heard that, it was an immediate punch to the gut. Things started pouring into my mind of my life where I had been pursuing good instead of best. Friendships, relationships, decisions about my time, and most importantly my relationship with Christ. But as soon as guilt flooded in, my flesh started excusing all of those decisions by saying, “but they were all good things! None of them were bad! ” And that’s true. But they weren’t best. Good is good, but God is best.

I know what you’re probably thinking, Morgan what are you saying? I do so many good things! I probably would agree with you. But I want to challenge you, are the things you do, the friendships you have, the relationships you make, are they best? In my personal life I had been settling for good, when best was still an option, and clearly still available. The definition of best is “of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type of quality.” So I started asking myself this question in every decision of my life, “Morgan are you consistently pursuing best?” Now hear my heart, I am not aligning myself with perfectionism, because that’s not possible with my human heart. I’m trying to align my life with Christ in every area. And here’s the thing: I’m starting small and then working my way up. I am asking myself, Morgan is lying on the couch watching Netflix for 6 hours straight best? Is scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat the best use of my time? Is checking out with the same cashier every time I’m at Walmart and not saying one word of encouragement or not saying one word at all best? Is that friendship that drains me spiritually best? Is that guy you are talking to good or best? Am I consistently pursuing righteousness? Am I consistently pursuing a deeper relationship with Christ? Am I consistently pursuing intentional conversations with people to share about the gospel and what it has done to my life? I know these are hard questions, but I believe that Jesus changes everything, and that He is worth nothing less that our very best. When Jesus becomes the center of my focus, everything changes because He changes everything in me. I start looking for the best in my circumstances, the best in people, the best opportunities to make His name known, and even looking for the best in myself. So ladies, I challenge you are you pursuing “best decisions” in your life? I won’t lie, it’s hard. But oh so worth it, because I’ve realized something that’s changed my life forever: Jesus is best. And when Jesus is best in my life, He changes everything.

It’s your choice: Good or Best?