Pastor's Blog: Making the Tough Call
|
Life is filled with decisions, most of which are not easy. Everyday life is inherently complicated so that we face very few choices that fall under the “no brainer” category. It matters not whether the judgment we must make is personal or corporate, secular or sacred, each comes our way with complications and consequences we often find daunting.
Some decisions we can ask others to help us make, especially if they ultimately affect a wider circle of people. But sometimes we find ourselves all by our own. We can’t farm out the decision to anyone else. The burden of responsibility falls squarely on our own shoulders. So, how do we best proceed?
In the first place, own the difficulty. Understand the gravity of the situation for what it is. Find strength in knowing that the fact that it has come your way validates in some way your importance as a responsible individual. Otherwise, it would have come to someone else.
Secondly, pray about the decision. Like everything else in life, God has a place in it. How you proceed in the face of your situation will determine if God’s purposes are served, or not. In fact, if you can look at your decision in terms of its impact on God’s purposes instead of your own, the clarity that comes from such a perspective will often in itself show you the best way forward. Never forget that we are promised in Scripture that when we lack wisdom, God is always quick to respond to our dilemmas with compassionate direction (James 1:5).
Next, outline your options. Rarely do we find ourselves facing a decision with only a single resolution. It is usually the case that the more complicated the decision, the more options that exist. We just have to find a way to clear our minds to see the possibilities, which is where prayer becomes essential.
Lastly, make your choice on the basis of what you see ahead of you. Granted, none of us has a crystal ball that will enable us to know how tomorrow will turn out, but each of us can imagine a future that brings fulfillment and joy. And when we expand such imagination to incorporate others, the chances are good that our decisions will be more sound and productive.
As with anything, decision-making is something of an acquired talent. In other words, every decision you make forms you for the ones to come. So, go forth with the good mind and heart that God has given you, and with the grace that is sufficient to enable you to choose not only wisely, but faithfully.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).