Life can be confusing. There is no roadmap or directional signage. The mile markers of our lives—birthdays, major events, and rites of passage—tell us time has passed but do not tell us what to do. Big decisions come into our paths and we must make a call.
Ready or not you have to decide.
The reason big decisions make our knees quiver is because we understand big decisions change the course of our life. We can trust that God is in control, but if we want to flourish we need to make the right choices to align with his will.
So how do we choose? For those of us that follow Jesus, how do we make our life decisions in
such a way that we seek God’s infinite wisdom instead of relying upon our finite wisdom?
Pray. The first step in making any big decision is to put it before the Lord in prayer. God knows
what’s on your heart, so don’t approach prayer like a performance. Prayer is an emotional and
spiritual conversation with your Father. Come as a child, using your language, and talk to God.
Explain your struggles. Ask for clarity. Ask for his will to be done in your life. And be willing to wait for his answer.
Seek Scripture. What I don’t mean here is find a verse in the Bible to proof text (justify) a
decision you want to make. What I mean is to seek God’s Word on its own terms, and let it say what it says. The Scripture you read may speak to your situation, and it may not—but it will center your heart and mind upon Christ and thus put you in the proper state of mind to make wise and godly decisions. Let the Bible speak to you.
Seek Counsel. Note this is step 3, not step 1. After you have prayed and sought Scripture, the next step is to ask wise people what they think. When you seek counsel, seek counsel from people whose life decisions you respect. Make sure you seek counsel from people who will tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. An honest word from a godly man or woman is truly a gift, even when it stings.
If you submit to these 3 steps when making life decisions, you will make more discerning and
biblical decisions. Will you make perfect decisions? No. Will you still make mistakes based
on your ignorance and your sinful heart? Yup. But if you approach decisions in this manner, I
can assure you when it’s time to make a big call in your life, you will have done your proper
diligence. And what matters most is that you have sought the counsel of God, the source of all wisdom and flourishing.
