“Decisions 101: What Do (Did) I Do?”
Why does life decisions have to be difficult? Why can’t we just know what’s right for us and not have to have options. I blame Adam and Eve. We wouldn’t have to have the difficulty of decisions had they not ate of the forbidden fruit. I think the worst thing about that situation was not just the lack of obedience but what was opened up for them after that. God had life planned out for them and they had the good life. But after they ate of the fruit then the possibility of options was made available to them and they saw the good and the bad.
Life decisions are critical to how our life will turn out. What job do we take? Where do we live? What do we drive? Who do we marry? What do I spend my money on? All of these decisions will make an impact on our lives and how much stress or worry will accompany that. God gives us free will to make those decisions but what decisions to make is the key. It is supposed to be easy to make certain decisions because we are supposed to be obedient to the Word of God. But those decisions that are not contrary to the Word of God that have options can also cause stress. Sometimes even decisions on what color shirt to buy or what to eat for dinner will give you grief. Having to counsel others in making decisions is difficult to say the least. You want to tell them to “run as fast as you can”…but you also know that what you may see for their life may not be what is best for them. If I stress over making decisions for my own life, you can see why the hair on my head has left the stadium trying to help others figure their lives out.
Maybe there are some of you who never stress over decision making. You just always make the right decisions for you and your life. For some of us there is the stress of what is supposed to be our blueprint of life. God has ordered our steps and I do believe that no matter what decision we make that God can and will fix it for us for the better. But wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about whether or not God will fix it, but that it would be right in the first place?
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” When we follow the teachings of God’s Word, He guides our path and provides knowledge to make wise choices.
If I can be transparent for a second. I have made many decisions in my life. Some good and some bad. I don’t have the average to let you know which has the greater weight. There have been some decisions that after I made the decision I questioned my thought process and was like, “what was you thinking?” I always try to make decisions based on how it will affect others rather than myself because of my compassion and affection for others. Sometimes even that mindset will bring drama into your life. My intentions are always on the side of doing what is right for others rather than myself. Even in that mindset of life, some things still don’t work out the way you intended them to work out.
But to give hope to this rant, I will say that God will always look at the heart and grant you favor. I have had too many experiences with God to know that where a decision I made seemed to be wrong, the fact that I made it by faith, God rewarded it and fixed it for my good. I told the group in bible study yesterday that we all have our own plans, but our plans for life doesn’t always work out the way we wanted or intended. But God can and will fix it for you and “work it out for your good.” I stand and trust on his omnipotence and omniscience. He is an all-knowing and all-powerful God.