Faith Matters - Current Posts

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Making Decisions

Throughout our lives, all of us are faced with decisions. We want to make the right decisions, but it isn’t always easy. In my life I’ve found that the best place to start is to pray for wisdom and then to ask others for advice. Before praying I try to check out what the Bible has to say. Three hours praying about whether or not to rob a bank is a waste of time. Just do what the Bible says. But if the Bible doesn't say anything on the subject, then pray for wisdom. Wisdom is taking knowledge and applying it. Wisdom is a gift from God given to every Christian who asks.
Try this. Instead of praying, “God, show me which apartment to rent,” try praying, “God give me the wisdom to figure this out for myself and get it right.”
In addition to prayer, it’s wise to ask others for advice. None of us is smart enough or experienced enough to make totally independent decisions. Part of asking God for wisdom is asking him who to trust, for not everyone's advice is equally good. Personally, I ask for a lot of advice when making decisions. I ask my wife, my co-workers, and trusted family members, friends and professionals. The Bible says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Multiple input is usually more helpful than just one counselor. But when it comes time to actually make the decision, you have to do what seems best. Check the Bible, pray for wisdom and listen to counsel. Then make your decision.

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