Decisions

Author - Sydney Gunn

When I think of making decisions, I often think of a dirt road that splits two different ways. Often, though, when making decisions, my thoughts seem to be going in various directions, like the intersection of these interstates and highways above. Life is full of decisions. Where do I decide to go to college? What job should I take? Where do I want to live? Sometimes, our decisions in life are small, and other times, they are more life-changing. One thing I have learned is that decisions are best made with wise counsel. Proverbs 11:14 states, "Where this is no guidance the people fall, but in an abundance of counselors there is victory." It is important always to ask yourself lots of questions and to Biblically back up the situation.

Some questions can include:

• Do I have all the facts?
• How should my past experiences inform my decision?
• Have I considered the possible outcomes for my course of action?

It can be hard when the Bible does not clearly outline the decision ahead of us. A good friend of mine once taught me an acronym TREE'S:

• Tradition
• Reason
• Experience
• Emotion
• Scripture

As you can see, we make decisions often through this lens. What does tradition tell us? What about reason? How does our experience influence this decision? What are our emotions behind this decision? But, decisions should be backed up by scripture.

I have often found decisions to be difficult in my life. I always want to do the "right" thing. I am apt not to want to disappoint or veer off the "perfect path" God has. Since being at The Fellowship, I have realized that God has no "perfect path" for us. He is sovereign, and God has given us freedom and free will. Within that, though, there are good and bad choices, and choices lead to consequences.

This year, for me, has felt like an influx of hard decisions. From deciding where I want to live to whether or not I truly want to pursue the God who loves me. They have been hard, especially when my internal compass wants to "do the right thing." I often seek others to approve of my decisions. Rather than seeking the Lord and His counsel, I will look for all my peers and mentors to approve or disapprove my decisions. Deep down, I hope to please those I love the most; I hope not to lose their high praise of me. This, I am finding, is a dangerous line to walk. Good counsel can be helpful, but counsel from our peers is not the same as wisdom from our Counselor. Making decisions based on others' opinions leaves us feeling like we are living someone else's life like we are seeking to fulfill someone else's plan for us. When we seek the Lord and become confident in His ways, we know He has a good plan for us. This was shown to us by Jesus, who often went away to pray to the Father (John 16:7). And sometimes, even in the hard decisions, there is no "right way"; instead, the Lord is standing with His hands open saying, "you get to choose."

Keep it simple: go to God, pray through the scriptures, and seek wise counsel. As Proverbs 3:6 says, "In all your ways, acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight."

God sees our hearts, knows our motives, and cares about all decisions. No matter what decision may lie ahead of you in life, know this - God is with you. He is for you. He wants good things for you. He loves you.