Part I
Have you faced a tough decision lately? You know—one of those that kept you awake at night, wondering which way to go? Applying biblical principles to the everyday issues you face and making tough decisions is a common challenge for all of us. But God’s word has clear guidance for us.
Making good decisions is a crucial skill, and the good news is, as believers in Jesus Christ, we’re not in this alone. It’s not just flipping a coin and hoping for some good luck. We have a wonderful resource in the Bible; it’s just that often we forget to look.
Most of us would consider it a dream come true if every time we faced a tough decision, a hand from heaven would come and write on our wall, pointing us to the right choice. But frankly, that wouldn’t work too well when you think about it. I mean, if God gave us a decision we didn’t like, then we’d be faced with whether we would choose to follow God’s choice.
So, the first question I have to address is this: If God would come down in some miraculous way and give you clear directions when you’re facing a tough decision, would you unquestionably and immediately be willing to do what he told you? Have you finally come to understand that God’s ways are better than your ways—that his thoughts are above your thoughts—that he has good plans for you and his directions are the very best for you?
You see, until you really want above everything else to know and do God’s will—until you are passionately desirous of pleasing God in all your ways, God could write on your walls and you wouldn’t be happy if it wasn’t exactly what you wanted. Many times we just want God to bless our decisions, not redirect us.
I know this from experience in my own life. For ten long years I said I wanted God’s will for my life, but the truth was, I only wanted it if his plan was my plan! Therefore, many times I made very bad decisions because I was convinced that my way was best. So, the first and most important issue you and I face, as Christ-followers, when it comes to the tough decisions of our lives, is to determine in advance if we truly want to know what God would have us do, and we are totally committed to following his guidance.
Let me assure you that God never plays hide and seek with those who are seeking his guidance. He’s not trying to make it difficult for you to know what to do in puzzling and tough situations. He wants you to know his will more than you want to know it! So, search your heart and make sure you truly want heavenly guidance. That’s the starting place. When you follow biblical truth, you can’t go wrong. Having faith to trust in God’s wisdom is the key to making right decisions.
You may want handwriting on your walls, but the good news is, you have something far better to guide you, and that is the inspired Word of God, the Bible. Romans 15:4 says that
“everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
There is hope for you whenever you’re facing a tough decision, and it is at your fingertips, in the written word of God. And on top of having our Bibles, we have our own personal teacher, the Holy Spirit. Jesus told his disciples that when he left them, God the Father would send his Spirit to guide them. We read that in John 14:26:
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
Psalm 19:8 tells us that
“The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.”
It’s a very wonderful and special experience when you go to God’s Word and look for his guidance. That word becomes personal and special to you—as though it was put there just for you for whatever you’re facing. It really is an “ah-ha” moment as you realize that God has taken his Word and spoken to you personally through it.
I want to point out four specific Scripture passages that tell us how to approach a tough decision. There are many others, but these will get you started on the right path. Then next week’s program will focus on other specific Scripture that could guide the decision you face. And here’s the first verse we need to heed:
- James 1:5:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
This is where you begin every time you face a tough decision. You ask God to give you wisdom. Let me ask you: Do you often pray for wisdom? Why wouldn’t you take advantage of this wonderful provision God offers to us—wisdom given generously? That’s what you need when you’re trying to make a good decision, right? You need wisdom. Wisdom has been promised to you. So, just take God at his word and pray for wisdom.
I’ve been praying this verse for years, recognizing how desperately I need wisdom all the time. I tend to make fast decisions, and sometimes they’re not the best because I haven’t sought God’s wisdom. You can save yourself a lot of grief and regret by praying for wisdom on a regular basis so that you’re ready to face whatever tough decision comes up.
I remember not long after I began seriously praying for wisdom, when I was faced with a pretty difficult decision on short notice, and I had to respond rather quickly. So, I made a decision which turned out to be right on—a very good decision that brought good results. Afterwards, in thinking back on it, I realized that God had just answered my prayer. I was given wisdom to make a good decision and I knew it was from God. It was not my usual knee-jerk response, but was a wise and good decision.
God says he will give us wisdom and when we pray for it, he answers our prayer. It just that simple, yet many times we don’t take God at his word and we try to do it in our own wisdom, which can be pretty risky.
- Psalm 37:7:
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Sometimes when we are pressed to make tough decisions, there’s the temptation to be quick and presumptuous instead of waiting on God. That certainly has been my way of operating far too often. Being still before God means that we will have periods of time when it seems like nothing is happening. This can be the toughest spot for us—waiting on God to give us guidance. Sometimes it’s a timing issue; we want to move now but God knows it’s better to wait. You may not think anything is happening, but God is working behind-the-scenes for you. So, pray for wisdom and then be still and wait before the Lord for his timing.
Remember that waiting before the Lord means exactly that—spending time in his presence, in his word, in prayer and finding strength and courage because you’ve spent time with God. Don’t skip this step. It’s really important when you’re facing tough decisions.
- Proverbs 19:20:
“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.”
If you start asking everyone or anyone for advice, you’re likely to get all kinds of wrong guidance. But Scripture teaches us to seek help when we’re facing tough decisions. However, it’s important to screen out the voices and hear from those who walk closely with God. Proverbs 13:20 says
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Another proverb tells us to
“make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance” (Prov. 20:18).
So, again you need to seek advice from the right people—godly people who have a track record of walking with God, and who lean heavily on God’s truth in offering advice or help.
- Proverbs 3:5-6:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”
Do your homework—your due diligence, as we say. Seek wisdom from God and advice from trusted people. But in the end, it comes down to trusting in the Lord and not leaning on your own understanding. God’s wisdom is often so different from ours because he knows everything—he sees the end from the beginning.
Make sure you are submitting all your ways to the Lord. That simply means that you are living in obedience to the principles of Scripture; there is no known area of willful sin or disobedience in your life—no rebellion. That’s really important when we’re seeking God’s wisdom and guidance. He has promised to make your path straight—to show you the right way and guide you where you should go. But the condition to that promise is that you submit all your ways to him.
The tough decisions of life are testing points. Do you really trust God or not? Are you open to his way, which may definitely be out of the norm for you? Whenever we let go of our will and make ourselves open to God’s will, we make a way for God to work a miracle.
Whether or not you’re facing a tough decision right now, for sure there will be some soon enough. Establishing some disciplines to guide your decision-making process in advance is wise and smart. The consequences of our tough decisions are often life-changing, so it’s super important that you and I are prepared to face those choices with biblical guidance. I encourage you to use these scriptures I’ve given you today—as well as many others you will find on your own—to help you take the fear and worry out of those tough decisions, and as you acknowledge the Lord in all your ways, he will direct your path and it will be for your good.