Decision Making

Making choices in life can sometimes be stressful. Some may be due to time-whether pressed for it or given too much. Some may be due to our desires, instead of God's will. Some may really be not knowing what to do. Decisions can vary between picking a movie to watch, settling on a job, or picking a spouse. Here are some practical steps to take when that time comes in your life when decisions are needed to be made.

COMMUNICATION
God communicates to us through His word. He is pretty blunt in most of what He has to say in the Bible. He didn't make it where it is hard for the average person to understand. Now, there may be times when the answer isn't black and white, but I guarantee that you can find guidelines that will help aid you in this process.

We communicate to Him through prayer. Before making your decision, make sure you are praying for it...diligently....without ceasing. Be energetic in this! (James 5:16b)

COUNSEL
Another good step is to seek counsel from Christian examples in your life. It could be your parents, the elders, the evangelist, or someone you look up to within the body. Take what they have to say, listen to it, and ponder on it. Maybe there is someone who has had to make a decision similar to yours and they can add beneficial input. This isn't a good example of "seeking counsel," but King Ahasuerus did when Vashti went against him in Esther 1. It wasn't necessarily the "best" advice, so make sure when you seek it, you trust that person has a good head on their shoulders.

CONSCIENCE
If it bothers your conscience, then it probably isn't something you need to do. Don't you agree? We need to make sure that Satan doesn't sneak up on any of our decision making!

Here is a start to some questions you can ask yourself before you make your choices:

• Does it glorify God?
• Does it go against God's Word?
• If someone were to see me doing this, would my impression be hypocritical?
• Does this help me reach my goal of obtaining citizenship in heaven?