Theme of the month: LIVE HAPPY... TODAY

DAY 19: LIVING HAPPY ... IN THE MIDST OF MAKING BIG DECISIONS

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

After Day 17's piece in which I emphasized that God can open and close doors in our lives to protect us, many readers asked how they can be sure their decisions are in line with God’s will for their lives?

Most of us have experienced that moments before making a big decision when the feeling of indecisiveness threatens to overwhelm you. Perhaps it was making a big decision in the workplace, deciding to get engaged, move to another city, choose a new school for your children or even choosing a new cellphone, when your cellphone upgrade was due. No decision is ever too big or too small to consult God with.

The question however is this: Do you consult God before the decision is made or do you inform Him afterwards in the hope that He will bless your decision? Think for a moment about this: Do you consult Him or merely inform Him about your decisions?

In Luke 11:9 Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” The problem is that we fail to pray about our decisions and therefore read in James 4:2 c: “You do not have because you do not ask God.”

Here are three steps to improve your decision-making process in the future:

STEP 1: ASK GOD TO GUIDE YOU

In Proverbs 3:5-6 we read: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁱⁿ all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” And in James 1:5 we read: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” We can be sure that God hears our prayers and gives us wisdom when we need it – all we need to do is ask!

STEP 2: LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT’S VOICE

In Isaiah 30:21 we find the assurance that the Holy Spirit will speak to us: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” The more time we spend in God’s presence, the clearer we will recognize the Holy Spirit’s voice. If you are unsure if He is speaking to you, write down what you experience in your heart and measure it against the Word. The Holy Spirit’s guidance will always be in line with God's Word.

STEP 3: TRUST THE PEACE IN YOUR HEART

God leads us with peace in our hearts. The enemy uses doubt as his weapon. If you therefore have asked God for wisdom and believe that He guided you through his Holy Spirit, be wary not to allow doubt and fear to get a foothold in your life. In James 1:6 we read after all: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” If you therefore feel uneasy before making a big decision, ask God to reveal to you if it is a warning from Him, or merely the enemy who tries to make you doubt.

Let us consult God first rather than informing Him of our decisions afterwards. And if you ignorantly made wrong decisions, your life is not over. God is gracious. If you go to Him with an honest heart and ask Him to guide you, you might just experience how He changes a bad situation into a blessed situation. He knows the future and we can trust the peace in our hearts as His guidance. God bless.

Father God, thank you for knowing the future and leading me through your Holy Spirit to miss the potholes on my path. Help me to daily become more sensitive to your voice. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

** Benescke Janse van Rensburg is a freelance journalist and author of the books, Ontdek God in die stories van mense, Wysheid-oordenkings uit Spreuke and Hoop in tye van nood-oordenkings uit Psalms.