What causes us to make decisions? What is the driving force that most determines which decision we are going to make in any situation? If we are believers, the answer to these questions is clear, God. The Lord is to be the motivation behind every choice we make. Tapping into the Lord is what life is all about. Our utter dependance on God to guide our decisions is one of the fundamentals of Christian life. The Lord is the giver of life and the creator of the universe, this means He knows exactly how life should be lived.
Think of it in mechanical terms. If my car was in disrepair and in need of maintenance, the best and most qualified person to take it to would be a mechanic educated in the workings of my car, who could determine what was wrong and what would be the best course of correction. In a similar way, but qualitatively different, God should be the mechanic of our lives. He made us so He knows exactly what each of us needs to run most effectively.
Proverbs 3:5-6 and Haggai 1:5 both equate relying on God for direction with the correctness of our paths. Logically, if the One who guides our path is right and perfect, we will always be on the right and perfect path. In fact, it is when we make choices apart from God and make decisions based on ourselves, this is when we run into trouble. In contrast, when we rely on the Lord to guide every and all of our decisions, it is obedience and faithfulness.
Additionally, we have a helper, the Holy Spirit, who guides us in the way of righteousness (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit teaches us and helps spur us on to the will of God. He does this through the Word and through time spent in prayer. Practically speaking, this should slow the process of decision making. We should be intentional and deliberate when we make decisions, particularly when the decisions can mean dramatic change.
Decision making should be paired with discernment. God is not the only one who wants to guide and motivate our decisions. The enemy, Satan, also wants for us to listen to his voice to make our decisions. This fact makes discernment so important. Discernment is the ability to tell whether something is from God or not. When we are faced with a decision and there are voices telling us to go this way or that, it is imperative that we test those voices (1 John 4:1; 1 Thess. 5:21-22). Holding potential choices up to the Word of God often reveals the will of the Lord.
The Lord is God. There is no other Lord but Yahweh. He is the maker of the universe, the creator of mankind. These facts alone mean that He knows exactly and precisely how mankind should work. Therefore, we should continually look to Him to be the one who guides our decision making. When we keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, He will attend to our way and ensure that we are walking in the way of righteousness. Praise be to God that He is the One who loves us enough to teach and direct us through this life!
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