I Can’t Decide

At my stage in life, it feels like decisions like these are constantly before me. Sometimes I hate making all these decisions. I don’t know what the right decision is. I wish someone would just tell me what to do.

Many of us are scared of making decisions. We are traumatized by the idea that there is one right thing to do and if we do not find that one right thing, we will ruin our lives.

There are teachings that revolve around the idea of finding Jesus’ exact will. When this teaching is taken overboard, people become frozen and cannot make a decision until it is dead obvious what they should do.

Sometimes I do not want to make a decision because I am scared of messing up.

Recently I have seen more and more that young people are scared of commitment. This also plays into fear of making long-term decisions.

Responsibility is a valuable thing, and responsibility is a scary thing. Making a decision gives a person a certain amount of responsibility for their actions. Especially if things do not turn out just right, people often do not want to take that responsibility for themselves and their decisions.

Sometimes people think that they always deserve a clear sign from Heaven.

Now that we have looked at some of the negative ways to make decisions, let’s see what the Bible has to say about it.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalms 16:8

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known unto God. Philipians 4:6

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. Psalms 86:11

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

So, what should guide the decisons we make?

From the verses above, God makes it clear that He will guide us if we seek Him. However, he tells us to walk by faith. God has given each one of us the freedom to make choices for ourselves.

God’s word is sufficient for us. He will never add or take away anything from His word. We don’t need to look for a sign or special message from Heaven. We need to read the Bible! It’s easier to look for a sign from Heaven then to logically and Biblically evaluate the situation and take a step of faith. God never said that life would be easy. Let’s take that step of faith.

Feelings of peace can be a way to know if we are making the right decions, but we all know that our feelings can lead us astray. Always make sure that what you are thinking and feeling lines up with the Bible.

A fear of messing up often stems from the desire to please God. Can we please God by DOING the right thing? No. We know that God loves us from day one and the only way to Heaven is salvation through Jesus Christ.

Never forget about the trustworthy people in your life. Be humble enough to ask for advice. Be openminded enough to take criticism. Be willing to accept what they tell you even if it’s not what you want to hear.

God cares about what we want to do! He has given us talents, hobbies, and things that we love to do for a reason. When you’re making a decison, take into account whether it is something that you want to do. God cares about what we love.

Remember that there may be more than one good option and God is simply giving you the freedom to choose which one you’d rather do. Things are not always right and wrong and black and white. There’s not neccesarily always one right choice.

In writing this post, I got some helpful thoughts from an Instagram post by @feminine_not_feminist. Here are a few steps that she recommends when making a decision.

1. Is this a sin? If so, it’s not God’s will
2. If it’s not a sin, is it wise? If unclear, critically evaluate the risks vs. the benefits.
3. What do trusted counselors in my life think?
4. Do I want to do this?

How do you make wise decisions? Give me advice in the comments because I still struggle with this.

Words by Kinza