Making Decisions in Light of the Lord

Decision making is a necessary part of life.  One can scarcely go a single day without having to make significant if not life-altering decisions.  Because choices abound and overwhelm, having a system in place for making godly and wise decisions is of great importance.  Luckily, we are not without guidance in this regard as the Bible offers clear teaching to help us.

At the onset, the pertinent word in reference to decision making is dependence.  For our decision making to be godly, we must depend on God.  Decision making dependence happens before the decisions are made when we are sorting through possibilities and choices.  At this point, the pre-decision stage, we need to rely on the Lord to help us to discern the way that we should go.

The Lord, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, has this to say, "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls (Jer. 6:16)."  The Lord says more, speaking through the prophet Haggai, "Give careful thought to your ways (Hag. 1:5)."  God wants us to be prudent and wise when facing decisions.  Evenmore, He helps us out by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, who acts as our Counselor (John 14:16-17).

Because the Holy Spirit is to be our inner source of compulsion when facing choices, there is a devotional element to decision making.  In essence, our dependence on God at the front end of decision making comes down to relying on the Holy Spirit to guide our way and the faith that He will protect and keep us before and after our decisions have been made.

In the end, it is God who establishes our paths and keeps the sure (Pro. 16:9), which should cause us to trust in Him and commit to Him to secure our way (Pro. 3:5-6; Psa. 37:5).  The biblical account is unified and clear in this regard: before we make decisions we should depend on God for guidance and clarity to make wise and godly decisions while after we make decisions we should be faithful in depending upon the Lord to keep, straighten, and secure our paths.  Let us then seek the Lord for direction and depend on Him in faith to establish and secure every step we take!