Human Beings make thousands of decisions every day. Some of these decisions, like the color of the shirt we put on, seem trivial while others, like choosing a vocation, are life-altering. Some of our choices work out well for us and others bring us pain, unhappiness, and trouble. So, how do we develop the skill of making good choices which will bring us lives filled with joy and satisfaction? God, in His infinite wisdom, tells us the answer to this question in Proverbs 3:5-6 : “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
The secret to making good choices in our lives is boiled down to three actions on our part:
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart. “Trust” means we have to rely on God. We must put our full confidence in the fact that He will never fail us and that He will always keep His promises.
- Do not depend on your own understanding. Many of us are inclined to think too highly of our own opinions. When faced with a life-altering choice we say, “God would never ask me to do that!” God just may ask us to do things that are not within our understanding or comfort zone. But there is always purpose to His requests.
- Seek His will in all you do. Do we seek His will in all we do? Do we even consider it? Do we seek His will in how we can serve others? Do we seek His will about our finances? Luke 3:11 reads “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” It doesn’t say if your shirt is worn out, give it away. It doesn’t say give people your scraps. This is God’s will. Do you ever consider it?
The good news for us is that once we have truly taken these three actions, God will show us which decisions to make, “…and He will show you which path to take.”
When The Creator and Ruler of the Universe offers us His personal guarantee of a successful, joy-filled life, wouldn’t we be foolish to reject His offer? As Jesus said, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness…”
If you want to make good choices in your life, start by putting God first and trusting Him to care for you.
-Pastor Dave Jones