Good Decisions

Proverbs 16:3 “Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”

What does it take to make a decision and know it was the right one to make?

There are so many paths that life can take, some decisions might seem inconsequential while other have ramifications that could last for an eternity. What might look simple such as the use of money, a career path, the decision to get married, having children, or where to live, are decisions that can be life altering moves.

The longing of the heart often determines its course. Many people desire personal fulfillment, pleasure, or peace, and while the outcome of these choices should be tempered with reasonable expectations, many attribute their greatest ambitions to these endeavors.

If decisions aren’t made with a good perspective, (like God’s will), then the outcome will lack greater purpose.

What is your Source?

Psalm 37:5 “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.”

The path of life can seemingly take many turns, especially for the young. Life seems to come in rapid fire events that can be hard to take, especially if you feel like your future is hanging in the balance.

The source of many decisions are a critical to how you make those decisions. Whether it is a parent, friend, or counselor who is giving you advice, what or who you rely on requires a measure of trust. If you trust that certain people have your best interest in mind, trust that they have the wisdom to direct you well, and trust that their counsel is founded on good reason then you have good information by which to decide your path….but does the advice align with the Word of God?

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”

What if…

*What if a parent only wants to see a child succeed financially but takes no consideration into what would bring honor to Christ?

*What if a friend only gives feedback that echos their own sentiment and only “wants you to be happy”.

*What if that guidance counselor is only using an algorithm that measures your likes and dislikes and funnels you into a career that fits your profile and not your calling?

The real question is not what brings the greatest amount of worldly success but what direction you’re meant to go?

This questions of meaning and purpose move beyond the flesh and into the work of the Spirit.

Psalm 9:10 “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

The God who is Sovereign has a plan, but are you ready to receive it?

That Lord knows you better than you know yourself and will lead if you will follow.

God is not swayed by anyone or anything, He is consistent and faithful in how He leads and is trustworthy.

God’s purpose for you is to make you holy and the journey is part of the process.

  Proverbs 4:18 “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.”

The love of God is immeasurable by human standards. The best example we see of His love expressed was when Jesus gave His life upon the cross.

God’s love is sacrificial, pure, and undefiled. In essence, it is the love He has called His people to exemplify.

Does Godly love look anything like personal fulfillment?

 Proverbs 16:9
 “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”

When the repentant sinner lays down their life for Christ, they gain everything. Each job, relationship, or place of living becomes a desire to fulfill God’s will, not just another step on the ladder of success. There is purpose behind each move of God’s leading, He has a plan, and there is fulfillment for those who follow.

Dead Ends

Isaiah 26:3 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

  Have you ever come to that point in your life when you thought to yourself, this is going nowhere! I meet a lot of people who have come to those conclusions and in many instances it’s true.

How do you know if your path is leading you to a dead end or to life?

The process of learning how to make right decisions is the same process for deciding if the path is good.

*What is produced from walking along the path the Lord is leading you on? Are your steps aligned with His Word? Do they honor the Lord?

If a prospective spouse is not a believer…God is not leading you into a relationship with that person. If your job requires you to sin, you can be assured He is not leading along that particular career path. If your friends are trying to lead you away from God’s holiness, they are not your friends.

To walk in Christ is to walk in obedience to His Word, and the way of His Word always leads to good.

He doesn’t promise the way will be easy, but He does promise He will never leave you or forsake you. God promises He will move mountains that stand in your way. He promises that He will go before you and protect your rear guard and equip you for the battle. He promises peace, joy, and freedom as you trust in Him.

Does your path align with God’s will?

If it doesn’t, if at every turn there is another roadblock that requires you to work twice as hard to get around it. If the path leads to pride, selfishness, or separation from those God has lead into your life, then you can be guaranteed the Lord is not in it.

The fruit of righteousness reflects God’s character. When you walk in His path, His attributes shine forth and He is glorified.

When someone follows their own wisdom, they reap the reward of their decisions.

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.”

The moral law, a.k.a. the 10 commandments, is the path of the righteous. It acts as a signpost along the way of life that instructs you in the way you should go. If you have to offend one of the commandments, you know that you are offending God and going off course.

Are the counselors in your life instructing you from God’s vantage point or in worldly wisdom?

If they are not following the Lord, no matter how much success they might have had or how much they want you to succeed, you need to look elsewhere.

All that matters in life is to do God’s will.

It becomes much more obvious the longer you’re alive that life is very short. We will have an eternity to reflect on the decisions we have made and the fruit we produce from those decisions will be our legacy.

The Lord leads His people to produce good fruit. When a person is obedient to the Spirit, the path they walk is blessed by God. When a person goes their own way, they can be assured their way will not be honored.

Psalm 1:4-6“The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

God knows the good way, even if you don’t. Godly knowledge is found in the path of the righteous, He leads in perfection, a perfection that He is intimately acquainted with by His righteousness.

If you want to walk in step with the Shepherd, you must learn how to be a sheep.

Being sheep implies complete reliance on Christ.

The Lord has prepared for you the path of success—It isn’t a path defined by the world, it is a journey formed by God.

Jesus’ success looked like failure to the world but His life didn’t end by dying upon a hill. Jesus arose from the grave victorious and He will reign forever with those who love and trust Him.

Trust Him with your decisions and your life will see true success.