Are you wrestling with a choice even as you read this? Our lives reflect the choices we make. We are what we become because of the choices we make each day. Even little choices, such as how we use a spare hour here and there through the week — yes, even little choices like that, which seem so mundane in the grand scheme of things, are individually important decisions. When the dots of all those small individual decisions are connected, they represent who we become.
The good news is that since God saved you, you no longer have to fend for yourself when making choices. In fact, you shouldn’t make them on your own anymore. We should always involve the Lord, even in small decisions.
Ownership changed the moment you were saved! You now belong to Christ. (1Corinthians 6:19-20) You should no longer occupy the driver’s seat in the car of your life. Move over! We should all cultivate this mindset: “What does the Lord think about this? What would He like me to do?”
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
There are seven action phrases to remember when it comes to knowing God’s will for your life or specific short-term choices you are considering.
Reading your Bible. God will never say “Yes” to anything in your life to which He has already said “NO” in His Word. For example, God will never lead you to date and marry an unbeliever. Nor will He ever approve of you buying a lottery ticket or getting drunk or high on the weekend. You find out what God likes and dislikes by reading His Word every day. The more our minds are saturated with God’s Word, the clearer the guideposts will be in our decision-making process.
Praying to the Lord. Share what you are thinking about with the Lord. Bring Him into your decision-making process. Tell Him you don’t trust your own heart or your motives as to why you favour a particular choice. This is even more crucial when your impulse is particularly strong to choose this over that. Our hearts can be blinded by desire to the point where we abandon rational thinking and dependence on God. Ask the Lord to make it obvious whether to say no or yes.
Yielding always to the Lord. Tell Him your thoughts and where you are in your thinking, but then always add: “Lord, I will yield to Your Will. I don’t want to do my own will.” If I’m reluctant to make that pledge to the Lord, then something is wrong in my heart. Why would a Christian ever not want to yield to God?
Listening to Godly Advice. We learn from Proverbs 12:15 that only fools think they are always right – but wise people actually listen to others. If you are weighing up a major decision, be sure to talk to a handful of Christians who are a part of your life — those who love you and are interested in your life for the Lord. Yes, those whom you trust and respect. Carefully listen for hints of concern they may have or any subtle nudges they may be giving you. Ultimately, though – the decision must be yours. You must have inner peace before God about the choice you make.
Thinking things through. God gave you a brain, and He expects you to use it. List the pros and cons of making a certain choice. Don’t shy away from asking yourself the hard questions like: Is this to please God or myself? Will it help me be a better Christian? Will it help others to see more of Christ in my life? Could this hinder me in any way in pleasing the Lord? Could this lead to something else that may not be as good? Will other Christians think this is a good choice?
Waiting for God’s peace in your heart. As you read your Bible, you will understand that God places a high value on ‘patience.’ He is a patient God, and He values patience in His people. Paul wrote, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” Colossians 3:15.
Here are some famous quotes: “When in doubt, do nothing. When action is needed, light will come.” “Darkness about going is light about staying.” “Wait until guidance is so clear that to refuse it would be positive disobedience.” “It is folly to act when the dove of peace has flown from the heart.”
Doing what you already know is His Will. Don’t twiddle your thumbs while waiting for further direction from God about your life. Don’t get stuck in a rut or stranded on a plateau. While you wait for additional guidance, keep busy pleasing God in what you already know to be His will for you right now. The Epistles are filled with actionable things that are always God’s will for every believer in every phase of our lives.
So there you have it: reading, praying, yielding, listening, thinking, waiting and doing.
(Some verses for you to consider: Psalm 25:9, Psalm 32:8, Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 6:33, Luke 22:42, Colossians 1:9-11)
The happiest days of our lives are when we are consciously walking in a path we know is pleasing to the Lord and making choices that are honouring to Him—even if they are brutally hard. When we persist in doing our own thing, we experience uneasiness, disappointment, and a distance in our relationship with our Lord.
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
