Daily Devotion

May 23, 2012

Decision Making (1)


“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Pr 16:3 NIV
If all your life you’ve been warned about making bad decisions, fear can cause you to miss God-given opportunities. “If the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1Co 14:8 NIV). Now you’re like the mule standing between two bales of hay; unable to decide which one to eat and afraid of making the wrong choice, you starve to death. You must act! Your need to do things perfectly and your desire to control every possible outcome will keep you stuck. So: (1) Stop trying to please everybody. “Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety” (Pr 29:25 TLB). Once you know what brings you fulfillment, as long as it’s God’s will, chart your course accordingly and refuse to let the opinions of others stop you or color your view. (2) Remember, over time your goals can change. What’s needed today may not be right for you a year from now. So reassess your plans regularly and be willing to change direction. “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us” (Pr 16:9 TLB). When your spiritual gut says no, pay attention. (3) When God is on your side, you’ll prevail. Somebody asked Abraham Lincoln if he was sure that God was on his side. He replied, “I haven’t thought much about it. I just want to know I’m on God’s side.” It’s normal to speculate about how you’d like things to turn out, but God alone controls the future. Just trust Him. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”

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