Thursday, June 21, 2012

How Do You Decide?



As the old saying goes, 'Time marches on.' Seems like only a few years ago, my husband and I were bringing our daughter home from the hospital. But in March, she left the glorious teen years behind - a new decade unfolding before her.

Remember being twenty? I do. Life was full of decisions - what college major to pursue, what job to apply for, who to date? Things haven't changed that much. A twenty-year-old still faces lots of decisions. Don't we all? I'm glad there's Someone available to guide that decision-making process, no matter how old we are!

Decisions don't always seem that important to me. Sure, I pray for direction concerning the seemingly 'big' things, but sometimes I fool myself into thinking I can handle the 'small' decisions. As I perused the clothes racks at the mall recently, I was excited to find lots of things on clearance. I was tempted to scoop up a number of items and head back to the dressing room...until I remembered the reason for my trip to the store. I didn't need winter clothes, I was looking for a spring outfit. Logic triumphed over emotional spending! Lesson learned. Oftentimes, it's the little things that take me furthest off course.

God wants me to come to Him anytime I need direction. In fact, He encourages me to ask for wisdom, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him," (James 1:5; KJV). Because Jesus lived on this earth, He knows the difficulties I face. He endured temptations, yet He never sinned. He extends an incredible invitation, "...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need," (Hebrews 4:16).

The more I read and study God's Word, the better equipped I am to make good decisions - whether big or small. The Apostle Paul was quick to remind the Corinthians to do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).Today, I'm determined to trust the Lord, and acknowledge Him in all I do, knowing that He will direct my paths! (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Are you facing lots of decisions? What step are you willing to take to seek direction from the Lord?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for caring about every decision I make. Help me ask for Your wisdom, and be obedient to the direction You give. In Jesus' name, Amen.

*This article appeared in the March 2012 edition of My Forsyth.

2 comments:

  1. Love this, Maria! My daughter and I had a conversation regarding this the other day. She's been doing a great job of reading her Bible every day--without being asked. :) I asked her if she noticed a difference. In her teenage way, she shrugged and said, "Not really."

    This led to a conversation on the gradual progression of growth and faith, how the more we read God's Word, the more He molds us into the men and women He created us to be. But we don't always see the molding, because we're in it. It's kind of like watching your kids grow. You don't realize how much they truly are growing until you stand them against last years mark on the wall.

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  2. Great to see you, Jen! What a blessing that your girl is faithful to reading God's Word - love the promise that He gives us that His Word will not return void. Like you said, we may not notice the changes day to day, but over time, we ARE being molded into the men and women God wants us to be! Thanks so much for sharing your heart! Hugs and God bless!

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