Articles and advice:
Need Help
With Making Decisions?
by Paul Keller.
The school of “hard knocks” allows young people to learn
from their mistakes and to be independent of adults “telling
them what to do.” The life options you encounter may seem
trivial to some while, in fact, they have enormous impact on
your life. This impact can be emotional, financial, social,
or spiritual.
Is selecting a car one of these decisions? Yes. Is deciding
to ask a person for a date one of these decisions? Yes. Is
selecting a college or university one of these life
impacting questions? Yes. The list of decisions you make is
endless.
Unfortunately, young adults are not being trained to
properly make choices that are both good and thought out.
This article is intended to help young adults and college
students develop a process for making both easy and tough
decisions.
First, it is important to understand that the decisions made
between the ages of 18 and 25 will impact our lives forever.
Ask a recent college grad how his $80,000 student loan is
affecting his life today. Ask a person who is majoring in
business why he will need five years to graduate instead of
four. Ask the person driving “The Blue Goose” if it gets
them where they’re headed without a $400 car payment each
month.
I am confident that many readers have questions that are
monumental to them while others blow them off as trivial.
So, let’s examine some scriptures on the decision making
process.
Proverbs 3:5 and 6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and
He will direct your path.
Sometimes we have a burning desire to do something and all
logic says that it’s impossible. Perhaps we need to allow
Him to direct our path. For example, you may want to attend
a college that is outside your budget ---- medical school, a
Christian school, astronaut school, etc. Perhaps you need to
apply for both admissions and financial aide at that
expensive school. God himself may want you there. You must
at least knock to see if He wants you to enter this
particular door.
Don’t limit God and His resources. The temporary down side –
He may have a different more rewarding plan for you. He may
not send you where you think you want to go or He may send
you to the community college to meet your lifemate, to
witness on His behalf, or for some other purpose that is
His.
The key is to trust and He will direct. You may or may not
understand His guidance; but who is more capable: God or
You?
James 1:4 & 5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives
generously to all without finding fault, and it will be
given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not
doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave on the sea,
blown and tossed by the wind.
It is important to distinguish between knowledge and wisdom.
Many people have knowledge but lack wisdom. Wisdom is simply
good judgment based on knowledge.
Wisdom allows you to separate wants and needs. It allows you
to be at peace even when an answer is not exactly the option
you had in mind.
But, the promise of wisdom is conditional. You must ask and
you must not doubt. These verses are simple to say but
sometimes difficult to do. Consider faith. Do you have it?
If Jesus can save your soul, certainly He can provide you
with answers.
Remember, his answer may or may not be the same as yours.
His time frame is definitely not the same as yours. Be
patient as you trust and he will “direct your path” and give
you a “generous” supply of wisdom.
Proverbs 12:15
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but a wise
man is he who listens to counsel.
Proverbs 15:22
Without consultation plans are frustrated; but with many
counselors they succeed.
These verses direct us seek input from others. Obviously,
you should confer with a follower of Christ who can be
objective and who has the courage to confirm or reject
initial ideas. This person could be a relative,
acquaintance, friend, or someone recommend to you. Keep in
mind those who may be older and who have been to the “school
of hard knocks.” However, the older advisor must be someone
that you respect and who has insight into your generation.
Romans 8:26
In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we
do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself
intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
There are times when a decision needs to be made and we find
it difficult to pray. We fear that we may ask for the wrong
thing or simply are so overwhelmed we do not know what to
pray. In this case pray, “Lord, you know my dilemma. I ask
that your Holy Spirit make intercession on my behalf. Give
me the wisdom that I need. Give me the faith that I need.
Please direct my path and help me to act according to your
will. Thank you for helping me with this situation. Amen”
Summary
Trust God to direct your path
Pray for wisdom
Confer with other Christians
Pray for assistance even when you don’t know what exactly to
pray for.
Wait on God’s timing
Your decisions become His decisions
Paul Keller is a retired HS teacher who has done
extensive volunteer work with teens at Group Workcamp and
Reach Workcamp youth missions across the country. He
now teaches classes at Ohio University. You may reach
him at
pskeller@verizon.net |
