How Do I Decide? - Martin Wiles

And you will hear a voice say, “This is the way; turn around and walk here.” Isaiah 30:21 NLT

A multiplicity of choices can complicate the decision-making process.

My wife is the queen of slow when deciding what to wear. Very conscientious of how she looks, she will spend more time in a closet in one morning looking at clothes than I do in an entire week. She carefully takes the pieces of her prospective outfit down from the rack and hangs them together to see how they look. 

This process may go on several different times before she decides on an outfit she likes. Occasionally, she will ask, “How do you think this looks together?” My opinion really doesn’t matter, but I suppose it makes her feel better to ask. 

The ancient nation of Israel had a bad habit of listening to the wrong voices when making decisions. This habit cost them numerous defeats at the hands of their enemies, as well as other forms of discipline from God. Isaiah the prophet reminded them there was a better way to make decisions—one that still works today. 

As a believer, the first question I must consider when faced with a decision is whether or not it’s sinful. There is never a time when it’s acceptable for me to decide to do something that will lead me down a sinful path. When those times come, I don’t even have to pray about what God would want me to do. He always wants me to say, “No.”

Making decisions based on my feelings is not normally wise either. Sinful choices—as well as other choices—can feel right but be very wrong. Sin often feels right. This is how Satan designs it. If it felt wrong, no one would sin. Or at least not as often. I must learn to trump my feelings with fact and truth.

I’ve been known to ask other’s opinions when faced with life changing decisions. Consulting others is acceptable as long as I can trust them individually and as long as their opinions are based on scriptural truth. 

Decisions are best made by faith. When I exercise faith, I will base my decisions on what God’s Word says. The truth of God’s Word trumps my feelings and the opinions of others and will never lead me down a sinful course. 

On what basis are you making your decisions?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the guiding power of Your Spirit when the time comes for us to make decisions.

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