Are You Basing Your Decisions on God?

It is believed that adults make somewhere are around 35,000 decisions each day and that boggles my mind!  I know most of these decisions are made out of habit or learned experiences and don’t require any thought.  I want to talk about the decisions that do require thought for instance, will you pay a bill on time, will you share gossip you overheard or how about if the cashier forgets to ring something up, will you tell her?

Each decision you make needs to be centered in what God would want.  I would like to discuss some ways to tell if you are making the correct decision from a sermon I heard Rick Warren preach.  It’s a  great guide to follow.

The most important thing to know about making a decision is there is a set of criteria that needs to be met in order to know that God will approve.  Each criteria has to be met or else the decision is not a good decision.  You can’t agree with some of the criteria and overlook the others because that causes failure.

I think the easiest and more common criteria would be, “Does this decision fall inline with what the Bible teaches?”   You may say that’s obvious but lets think about this.  We do know what the Bible teaches but sometimes our minds want to stretch or bend the scriptures to fit our decision making.  A type of justification for maybe making a decision not fully based in the Bible.  Romans talks about that you must pay your taxes but what if you say, “I am going to pay my taxes but not on the due date.”  You may think you are agreeing with the Bible but you are tweaking what the Bible says to fit your conditions. This is what it says:

“This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” Romans 13:6–7

Another thing we must use in decision making is, “Will this decision make me more like Jesus?”  Philippines 2:5 says this:

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

When you remove your personal interest in the decision and think solely on how Jesus made decisions by being kind and selfless we will be rewarded.  I know when I have $20 and I see someone that doesn’t have money for lunch I know that Jesus would buy that person lunch.  I know my initial reaction is, “I only have this $20 to last until payday, what will I do if I give it away?”  When I think of how to be more like Jesus and share that money.  I somehow obtain more money from an unexpected source.  God rewards us for loving one another and sharing.

The next point to consider in the decision is would others approve of my decision.  If you have something you want to do and you are embarrassed to tell your closest friends and family it’s probably not a  good decision.  If you have any “gut feeling” or reservation about the decision its a red flag that it’s not right.  It’s a very simple indicator.

I have talked before abut knowing your S.H.A.P.E (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality & experiences.)  If the decision does not fit into your SHAPE then it’s not a good decision because your SHAPE determines your purpose so it has to fit your SHAPE.  Ephesians 2:10 says:

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Since I have a ministry if I turned away from someone in need it would go against my SHAPE and it would be a bad decision.   God put it in my heart and gave me the gifts to serve Him by helping others that are suffering.  That is part of my SHAPE.

Of course another obvious criteria to look at is the decision complimentary or condemning?  God offers decisions that are a positive compliment or to make something better.   While Satan promotes decisions on condemnation based in being disobedient or for self prospering reasons.  Satan offers suggestions that promote envy, greed, jealousy and other outcomes not fitting for good decision making.  Romans 8:1 says:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Lastly is does this decision fill me with God’s peace?  I know personally when I follow what I have been taught in the Bible instead of my emotions, God’s peace comes over me instantaneously.  This reassurance helps me to know I have made the right decision and I am focusing on God when I am making my decisions.

It’s like when someone lies and you have to continue lying to defend the incorrectness of the decision.  Bad breeds bad and good breeds good. I once read that your should make decisions that your can confidently explain knowing the decision was well thought out and for the best reasons. Good decisions don’t require explanations or coverups. I read something very similar in the Bible.

2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

I hope this blog will help you if you have difficulties making decisions.  Many of us make the wrong decisions based on feeling guilty, weakness or for emotional reasons.  I know when you follow these few guidelines decisions will come easier after all 35,000 decisions in one day is a lot!

May you feel God’s blessings constantly and know that I am always praying for you-LoLo