Are you standing at a crossroads and wondering how to make the right decision? Are you juggling all possible arguments but still unable to decide?
Our dilemmas are especially painful when we are tossed between two or more good and godly options with long-term consequences. How can we discern the right way to go?
How to Make the Right Decision – Our Problem
The problem is that we usually try to make the right decision a logical choice, counting the pro and cons. We try to peek in the future and see which choice will prove to be more successful for us in achieving the goals we want to meet. However, this approach is not always the best.
God invites us to a better way to discern which way to go. Since we are called to live a life of faith, it is crucial to activating our faith in the choices we make too. How can we do this?
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Examining Our Hearts and Desires
When I am dealing with a dilemma, I learned that God always points to and helps me sort through my desires first. What is the thing I want most and why? This may seem like an easy thing to do but it is not. The heart can be very deceitful. (Jeremiah 17:9) We need to ask the Holy Spirit to shed His light and expose our heart’s desires and motivations.
It may turn out that we have good desires but wrong motivation. Our motivations and sometimes misplaced priorities are often exposed when things do not develop as expected. Then the real foundation comes into the light. If this is the case, we need to repent and ask God to adjust and re-direct our desires and priorities and align them with His.
Our motivations and misplaced priorities are often exposed when things do not develop as expected. #motivation #priorities #ChristianLiving Share on XHow to Make the Right Decision – Counting the Cost
Examining our desires and allowing God to purify our motivations move us further in the decision-making process. The next step is the question about the cost. Doing God’s will always cost us something. For every possible decision, we need to have an idea about what this would cost us in terms of time, resources, energy, or other things.
We need also to ask ourselves if we are willing to pay this cost and make this investment. There is no ideal situation or the so-called balance. There are simply different seasons and priorities.
Doing God’s will always cost us something. #spiritualmaturity #wisdom #decision Share on XSuccess, Failure, and Decision-making
Our understanding of success and failure has a huge impact on how we discern which way to go. Very often we gravitate towards the decision and direction, in which we think we could achieve more success and avoid failure. However, we need to be sure that our concept aligns with the way God defines success and failure in His Word.
Success in God’s kingdom is not about results, it’s about obedience. The results are up to God. Our part is to faithfully follow God and do the things He shows us day by day, staying the course. Obedience and constant renewal of our minds with the truth in God’s word are the keys to a lifestyle of growth and success. Failure is a great teacher exposing the condition and motivations of our hearts and keeping us on the path of humility.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful”. (Joshua 1:8)
Success in God’s kingdom is not about results, it’s about obedience. #success #encouragement #Christianliving #bgbg2 Share on XDecision-making is a Process
Discerning which way to go takes time. We need to give ourselves and God the time to sort through our hearts and motivations. With every day and every step, it will become clearer. When we ask God for guidance and clarity and want to do His will, He will answer us with absolute certainty.
This way, we will not only know which way to go but we will also get to know better ourselves and God in the process, doing this together with Him. Because it’s not about us in the end, it’s always about Him.
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Psalm 32:8)
More Resources to Give Your Wisdom in Your Decisions
If you need more resources to guide you and help in your decisions, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer
Make Up Your Mind: Unlock Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life by Denise Dubois Pass and Michelle Nietert
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow by David Jeremiah
Changes that Heal by Dr. Henry Cloud
Dream Big by Bob Goff
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero
The 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey
This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!
When we ask God for guidance and clarity and want to do His will, He will answer us with absolute certainty. #decisions #guidance #encouragement Share on XDo you want to watch this post as a vlog? Click HERE. If you found it helpful, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thanks!
Your Turn
Are you struggling with a dilemma now? How far are you in the decision-making process? If this article has helped you, I would be happy if you share it on social media and comment. Thanks!
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Lots of wise words here. Yes, success is about obedience not results. Thanks for that reminder today.
Thanks so much, Kelly! It is good to remind us often of this truth when we get discouraged from not seeing results.
Great guidelines to consider when making a decision – particularly to check our motives when we have a strong preference for something. Thanks
Thanks, Sharon! I am happy that you found the guidelines helpful!
This is such a touching post. I always pray for guidance… It helps me make a better decision, always!
Thank you so much, Mae! I am happy that the post had this effect on you. Yes, it is much better to admit we don’t know it all and ask for wisdom and guidance from the One who knows.
So well said. Decisions are sometimes difficult to make– not understanding our true motivations and what we really want as an outcome. Thank you for this thought-provoking discussion.
Thank you, Ana! Sometimes it is really a long process until our true desires and motivations surface…
Results are up to God and it’s our job to obey- this is a great reminder ! So many times we are worried about the results first.
Thanks, Lori! Yes, we do this all the time – worrying about the results! It is so much better to focus on the things which are in our control like our decisions and actions and leave the results to God.
I appreciate the advice to examine our desires and motivation. I often forget to ask the Holy Spirit to help me discern what is in my heart. Thanks for laying it out so clearly.
Thanks for your comment, Lisa! Yes, very often the path to a decision gets clear when we are aware of our desires and motivations.
Countless books have been written on the topic decision making. Countless strategies, procedures and checklists have been published.
You managed to provide for your reades in a short article the essence of the decision making process for believers : “When we ask God for guidance and clarity and want to do His will, He will answer us with absolute certainty. ” it’s all about trust in the LORD, as you pointed out so often in your articles. Thx for sharing.
Thanks so much for your encouraging comment! Yes, decision-making is complicated. But as believers, we are connected to the Source of all knowledge and wisdom. And when we choose to walk by faith, we have access to God’s specific guidance for our situations.