My Decision-Making Journey
“For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (Acts 15:28–29, ESV)
Taking A Step Back
I realize I already got the ball rolling on this series, but I decided to take a step back to give some back-story before moving forward. I think it’s important to know WHY and HOW I came up with these decision-making questions. So, here’s my story.
Nothing The Easy Way
I have a disease. Well, not necessarily a disease, but a problem. I cannot do anything the easy way. I refuse to accept the status quo or to do things “the way we’ve always done them.” It’s a problem.
Because of this “problem,” I wrestle with some decisions much harder than other people. Many people would just make the decision and move on; but I’m the type of person who questions every decision I make. I can’t just make a decision. I have to make sure I’m making the right decision for the right reasons in the right ways. It can get exhausting.
Series Of Tough Decision
A couple years ago, I faced a series of particularly difficult decisions that revolved around work and family. I had been diligently praying about these decisions for a long time without any clarity (that happens sometimes). So, I decided that I needed to take a dive into what the Bible has to say about decision-making. I snuck away for a day of solitude, opened my bible (and my bible software) and started studying and writing, trying to get some guidance on biblical decision-making.
Guiding Questions
In particular, I wanted to find guiding questions that would help me make decisions in the future. When we get caught up in the stress and anxiety of a decision, we can easily overlook important factors, which can result in making a poor decision. So, I wanted to come up with a list of questions that would help me thoroughly think through decisions in the future. By the end of the day, I came up with a list of 29 questions.
I realize there’s some overlap in these questions. I also realize there are more questions that I haven’t thought of. However, I’ve found this list to be very helpful and eye-opening. It forced me to ask questions I hadn’t thought about before. It forced me to take into account things I would have overlooked. It also helped me slow down and think deeply about many of the details surrounding these decisions.
Godly Decision-Making
In the end, I believe the Holy Spirit used these questions to help me come to a Godly decision. These questions didn’t act like a magic potion—magically bringing me to the right decision. The Holy Spirit guided my thoughts and mind as I thought biblically about the situation. The Spirit doesn’t override our brains in the decision-making process, but works with us in it. In the end I was able to say, “It seemed good to me and the Holy Spirit to make this decision.” (Acts 15:28). I pray that you will be able to say the same.