Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
It’s often said that life is nothing more than a series of choices. We make decisions every day and every moment of our lives. Some are trivial but others can turn out to be quite significant. We are where we are today because of the choices we have made in the past. They may be choices about what college to go to, what career to pursue, what job to take, who to marry, or where to live. All of these decision have led us to the place we are today, whether right or wrong. And some decisions are irrevocable. In other words, they cannot be undone. Decisions such as having an abortion, committing suicide, or speaking your mind on Facebook! All decisions have consequences!
We cannot change the past but we can influence the future. Our future will depend upon the choices we make from this moment forward. Even if we have made bad choices in the past, God forgives us and gives us the opportunity to make better choices for our future. The choices we make from now on, therefore, will have a significant impact on our lives, both personally and professionally. God gives us one day at a time to live and no one knows (except God) what tomorrow will bring. So, we can either influence our future for good or for bad. The choice is up to us. Making good decisions will honor God and will bring blessings into our lives. Making bad decisions, on the other hand, will usually result in our suffering and will also dishonor God.
Have you ever noticed how great leaders seem to always make the right decisions? I believe that leaders become great because of the great decisions that they make. And those decisions are not always popular either, but they end up being right in the long run. Leaders who make poor decision generally do not last very long. So what constitutes a great decision?
There are 7 principles we must acknowledge when we are making decisions:
1. All decisions have consequences. Good decisions honor God and bless us. Bad decisions dishonor God and result in sin and suffering.
2. Decisions are only as good as the information they are based upon. As is often said, garbage in, garbage out. If you don’t have all of the facts, or you assume too much, you will likely make a poor decision.
3. Not making a decision is a decision. Sometimes any decision is better than no decision. Procrastination about a decision causes confusion and may mislead others.
4. If you don’t make a decision, someone else will. If you delay in making an important decision someone else may step in and make it for you. This could undercut your authority and create more problems because they will generally have less information than you have.
5. Decision outcomes are not always proportional to decision importance. Sometimes small decision can have a major impact while large decisions have a minimal impact. Just think of King David’s small decision to take a walk on the roof one night and what that simple and minor decision led to.
6. Do not make decisions when you are tired, pressured or under great stress. Under these circumstances you cannot think clearly and risk making a poor decision. Get away, get rest, or take some time to clear your head so that you can think more clearly.
7. Our decisions never change God’s will. God never changes and His plan for us never changes. Proverbs 19:21 says “many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” So it is important for us to align ourselves with God’s will so our decisions will be good ones.
So how do we become better decision makers? First, pray and ask God to give you His wisdom. He promises that He will and it will enable us to align our thoughts with His. Second, gather as much information as you can before you make a decision. Get the facts and do not assume. Take the time to get it right. Third, seek the counsel of others that you trust. The Bible says in Proverbs 15:22 that “plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Input from others can often save us from making big mistakes. Fourth, organize your decisions every day. Either delay them, delegate them or decide them. But do not procrastinate. Fifth, don’t delay important decisions. Agonizing over a decision wastes time and may cause you to miss an opportunity. And finally, handle interruptions quickly. Either delay, delegate or decide them. Do not allow interruptions to cause you to make a poor decision.
God desires that we all make decisions that honor Him and bring Him glory. And He waits for us to come to Him and ask Him for His wisdom. So let us all strive to become better decision makers so that we both honor God and receive His blessings in return!!