You Always Have Options.
Think of a time when you made a really bad decision and it end up costing you big time (it might have cost you in time, reputation, finances). How did you feel on the front end and the back end of the decisions?
My guess is you felt real excitement on the front end and then on the back end you might have felt regret, shame, embarrassment, or even resentment.
I’ve been there. A few years ago, I made a family decision that ended up costing us time and left us feeling very frustrated.
What did I learn through the process?
I learned that I had more options than I originally thought and that making rush/rash decisions usually have negative consequences.
The Bible says we have freedom in Christ. The freedom that Christ brings liberates us from sin, but it also frees us to make decisions.
Galatians 5:1 (NLT) – So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
How to make a wise decision
After suffering the loss of the bad family decision, I made a few years ago, I vowed to never go back to doing that again. Instead, I have a method to filter most decisions through.
Consult Your Friends
Proverbs 19:20
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
An important aspect of having close friends that truly KNOW us is the fact they can give us great advice when we are thinking about making a big decision. Our friends, when we are honest with them, can help to recalibrate any faulty thinking we might be having as we approach a major decision.
Never Violate Your Personal Identity
James 5:12
Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
God has given us the ability and freedom to say YES, to things that bring us life, and NO, to the thing that drains life from us. But how can you know what to say YES and NO to?
It comes down to knowing your personal identity. I was reminded of this over the weekend when I recounted the time at my first church when the Sr Pastor’s wife asked me to join the church choir. I told her NO, I don’t sing in choirs. She didn’t like my answer, but I was not going to violate my YES and NO. If I told her yes, while everything in me was saying NO, I would have ended up feeling regret and resentment.
Count the Cost
Proverbs 27:23
Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds
Every decision we make will have a cost to it. Can you accept the cost of your decisions? If your heart is not in the decision, then it might mean you need to step back and say NO to the decision.
Pull the Trigger
Ecclesiastes 11:4
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
Finally, once you have gotten feedback from those who know you best, you considered the cost of the decision, and feel you have the freedom to say YES, then there is only one more thing to do. PULL THE TRIGGER. If you wait for the perfect time to decide, you will never do anything. What’s more, if you do make the decision and it fails, it’s okay, Nobody Is Perfect. Learn from your experience and grow from it.
Remember, You always have Options!
