Decisions and Following God (Part 2)

Yesterday, I shared about some of the first steps in making decisions and following God (read part 1). As I wrote down my thoughts, I realize that there are also some things we need to remember in this time of life.

Remember: Not all Decisions are Life-Changing

When I was stressing out over some “big for me” decisions recently, one of my friends pointed out, “This isn’t getting married. It’s not like you’re deciding this for life.” That perspective released a lot of stress and tension, because it was true. While all decisions affect our lives, there are many decisions that are not completely life-changing. There have been several times in my life when I was praying about a decision and came back with a frustrated, “I don’t get an answer! I don’t have a peace about a ‘no’—so does that mean I should accept this as a ‘yes’?”

I am not saying that it’s impossible to know God’s will in every situation—I personally believe that God is intimately interested in every miniscule decision of our lives. How do I know this? Verses such as Psalm 37:23-24: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.”

 However, if you look at God’s Word, you will not find, “Thou shalt not work at Walmart, thou shalt be a bank teller.” Yeah. If only it were that easy, right? But we do find principles. Read Proverbs and you’ll find plenty of direction with ways to take or to avoid (Two quick examples: “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.” [Proverbs 13:11] and “He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.” [Proverbs 28:8]).

Remember: Don’t Solo It

Part of God’s way to give us direction and guidance is through counselors. We can be foolish if we try to make rash decisions. It really doesn’t matter what age we are: going to others who are living active Christian lives is a wise decision. Don’t believe me? Here are just a few verses to clarify:

“Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)

“Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.”

(Proverbs 15:22)

Oh, and one more:

“Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” (Psalms 119:24)

Yes, that goes back to a point earlier: seek God’s Word in these decisions. It is impossible to follow God and disobey God’s Word.

Remember: Life Goes by in Seasons

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

This passage is a familiar one, outlining the many opposites of life: birth and death, planting and plucking up, killing and healing, breaking down and building up, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing, casting away and gathering together…

No matter where we are in life, we’ll find ourselves in this list of “seasons.” It is easy to get hung up in the “here and now” that we forget that life is made up of many seasons. There are seasons of busyness and seasons of relaxation, seasons of ministry and seasons of meditation, seasons of singleness and seasons of marriage. Guess what? We’re in a season right now. How we’re living today very likely won’t be how we’re living 365 days from now. You know what else? One special passage applies to every single season of life: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)

It may be a fantastic season. It may be a puzzling season. It may be a sorrowful season. But no matter the season, God’s mercy is with us, His faithfulness surrounds us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Remember: Keep a Proper Perspective

One of the struggles I’ve had in this whole “making decisions” is my focus. It is so easy to become consumed in temporal things—making ends meet, in climbing the ladder, in making more money, getting better things, accomplishing more, saving more—that we’ll forget one very important thing. Let me direct you back to the first point I covered with this verse: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Sure, we can make plans and take steps, but ultimately, our focus should never waver from following God and seeking Him first. Sometimes, He’ll lead us to do some scary things that may seem contradictory to where we feel He is leading us (“If I give this money to missions, then how will I have enough for _______?”). This is where my favorite passage comes in: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Remember Abraham? God had promised him that Isaac His covenant would be established (Genesis 17:21, “But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”). Yet just a few years later—before Isaac was married and had children of his own—God told Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering! (Genesis 22:2) We know the end of the story, how God provided a substitution sacrifice—yet many times, our lives feel like Abraham’s in that moment between the promise and command.

If our focus gets off any of these points, our steps will be angled toward paths of destruction.

Sure, we can get excited about where God is leading us. Sure, we can take the steps He has lined out for us. And sure, we can make some plans. But, in doing so, let us not forget to keep seeking God. Let us remind our hearts to trust in Him. And, in whatever we do, may our desire be to “do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

I'd love to hear...
What are some ways the Lord has helped you in decision-making?