HOW TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR MY LIFE?
TEXT: PSALM 25:12
INTRODUCTION
Truly, living in peace or living in anguish in this new year 2019 will depend to a large extent on the decisions we make.
Let’s see these very interesting phrases that tell us about the decisions we make in our lives and the importance of making the right decisions:
- I am not a product of my circumstances, I am a product of my decisions.
- You are free to make your decisions but you are also a prisoner of its consequences.
In the verse we read to begin we are told that the man who fears Jehovah will teach him the path he should choose, to fear God means to please him, to want to do his will, and the Lord through his word will help us choose the path we must take will help us make the right decision for our life.
If we want to do God’s will and make the right decisions, let’s see what the word of God teaches us:
I) FIRST, WE LOOK FOR GOD TO SAY IN HIS WORD (PSALM 119: 105)
- God has revealed his will in his word, And when we want to make a decision in our life, the first thing we have to look for is that it says the word of God with respect to what I want to do.
- The word of God clearly tells me for example that I should not be unequally yoked, that I should not live in adultery, that I should not practice acts of corruption, that I should not abandon my spouse, that I should not consume things that harm my body. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit, etc.
- If the decision we are going to make goes against what God has established in his word, it will definitely not go well with us, the consequences of that bad decision will finally fill our hearts with bitterness.
- Remember that obedience produces blessing in our life.
II) LISTEN TO TIPS FROM SPIRITUALLY MATURE PEOPLE (PROVERBS 11:14)
- Many times we make the mistake of making important decisions for our lives based on the advice of people who have no knowledge of God or of their word and their minds are darkened (Ephesians 4 : 18) These people can never have a truly wise counsel or be attached to the will of our God.
- We have to understand that the words and thoughts of carnal people can never express in a council the wisdom of the Lord or his will, the carnal can not be accommodated in the spiritual, if we want to receive advice that comes from the wisdom of God we have to seek people who can accommodate the spiritual with the spiritual, that is, they can give advice adhered to the word and wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 2:13)
- We have to avoid the advice of people who think that we can do well by doing what displeases God
III) WE HAVE TO ASK US IF THE DECISION WE’RE GOING TO TAKE WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND MY SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1 CORINTHIANS 10:23)
- Sadly many Christians make their decisions solely based on their material growth, on getting a better salary , in order to have a better standard of living, but Christians have to know that the main thing in our life is not only to progress economically but to be spiritually edified and that is based on what we have to evaluate if the decision we are going to make is convenient or not for our life.
- IF the decision I am going to make will affect my relationship with God, if it will be an impediment to continue to congregate constantly, if it will not allow me to continue serving in the ministry that the Lord has entrusted to me then the best thing will be not to make that decision that will affect my spiritual growth .
- When the priorities in our lives are well defined, it becomes easier for us to make decisions, not focusing only on the material but primarily on the spiritual (Matthew 6:33).
- Remember that the Word of God warns us that there are ways that apparently are good, but its end is death, estrangement from God, spiritual cooling, abandonment of our calling, etc. (Proverbs 14:12)
IV) WE HAVE TO ASK US IF THE DECISION WE WANT TO TAKE WILL GET OUR FAMILY TO GOD OR THE FAR AWAY FROM GOD? (JOSUE 24:15)
- We have to recognize that we are also responsible for the spiritual life of our family, we will give an account before the Lord of the sheep that he entrusted to us, and those sheep are our children, our family.
- We have to ask ourselves in what way my decision can affect my family, to take my children away from the ways of God? Possibly the decision you are about to make will give you economic benefits, but will it be beneficial for my family? Will it be beneficial for my marriage relationship? Or will I become a stumbling block to the spiritual life of my family? (Matthew 18: 6)
V) IS THERE PEACE IN OUR HEART? (PSALM 34:14)
- The peace in our hearts is a guide from God to make decisions that go according to his will.
- The word of God tells us that we should seek peace and follow it, but how can we do that? When in prayer we place those decisions in the hands of God (Philippians 4: 6-7)