Outcomes

There is a question many forget or fear to ask with a choice.  “What outcome do I want to reach?”  It may seem obvious, in the heat of a crisis it rarely is.  It may appear to be simple; often nothing could be farther than the truth.  It may be easy to look back and know exactly what one should have done, yet in the moment at hand the choice seems more like an unsolvable wicked problem.
Too often, I forget life's three questions.  What outcome do I want to reach?  Is this really a good idea?  Can I make it work?  To ask the questions one must have a firm grasp on Hope.  One must believe in the goodness of others.  On must accept that one may fail, even if one's intentions, motives, and behaviour are ideal. 
Remember, it is in the process of what we do that we find life's success.  It is in the actions we take, especially when nobody is watching, that we tell ourselves where we want to go.  It is in our steps that we talk to God, often unaware of our conversation with Divinity.
I ask because God is a central part of my life, or at least I strive to hope this is so.  The fears, doubts, and uncertainties that surround this desire have never gone away.  I know that if I fail then I will be caught up with the masses.  I know that “in the west they'll fear the name of God, in the east they'll fear the glory of God, for he'll arrive like a river in flood stage, whipped to a torrent by the wind of God.”  (Isaiah 59.19)   
The alternative is, for me compelling.  I can decide that my goal with every choice is that I hold God's hand and reach out to others with compassion, mercy, and love.  I can decide that each step's outcome is to live in true community.  I can decide that I will be a contributor in making this world a better place.  Today, heaven can be real.