Decisions, decisions........... you are not alone!

During the last couple of weeks, in particular at school I have found myself in situations where I have had to make decisions about various situations that have arisen and it hasn't been easy.  Even after putting the situations before my Father and knowing that He has by best interest at heart and that my well being is uppermost in His mind it can still be difficult to fully rest in the peace of the my decision.  Doubt quickly sets in.  As always my life manual holds the answers to ease my unease.


 Decision Making (1)

'Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.' Proverbs 16:3

If all your life you've been warned about making bad decisions, fear can cause you to miss God-given opportunities. 'If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?' (1Corinthians 14:8 NIV). Now you're like the mule standing between two bales of hay; unable to decide which one to eat and afraid of making the wrong choice, you starve to death. You must act! Your need to do things perfectly and your desire to control every possible outcome will keep you stuck. So: 1) Stop trying to please everybody. 'Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety' (Proverbs 29:25 TLB). Once you know what brings you fulfilment, as long as it's God's will, chart your course accordingly and refuse to let the opinions of others stop you or colour your view. 2) Remember, over time your goals can change. What's needed today may not be right for you a year from now. So reassess your plans regularly and be willing to change direction. 'We should make plans-counting on God to direct us' (Proverbs 16:9 TLB). When your spiritual gut says no, pay attention. 3) When God is on your side, you'll prevail. Somebody asked Abraham Lincoln if he was sure that God was on his side. He replied, 'I haven't thought much about it. I just want to know I'm on God's side.' It's normal to speculate about how you'd like things to turn out, but God alone controls the future. Just trust Him.'  Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Tell me I am not alone in the tangled web that is 'decision making!'  From the moment I wake up in the morning it starts; decisions, decisions.  The message here is clear, trust in the Lord and not in man's outlook or opinion, which at the best of times can be unreliable.  For me the second point has been the strongest and most clear advice that has seen me through in my decision making recently and today (day 211) I am truly thankful to my God given life manual. I hope it will minister to you in the same way it did to me.