How To Make Good Decisions

We’ve all been there: standing at a fork in the road, facing a major decision. You’ve carefully analyzed each choice. You weighed out the pros and the cons of each option. You counseled with the people you look up to and asked for their advice. You’ve prayed and asked God which way to go. But after all of that, you still stand at the crossroad...and you still have a choice to make.

Each option seems valid. Each way seems right. What do you do?
Psalm 119:105 Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.

This is why we have the Bible! It was intended to light up the path ahead of us and guide us in the right direction. You’ll find that, the more familiar you become with the Word of God, the easier it will be to find guidance in decisions like these.

But how can we follow the light of God’s Word? It’s not as if God plainly wrote out every decision for us. Wouldn’t it be easier if we could read something like this in the Bible? “Matthew Wagner (the specific Matthew Wagner that lives at this address), on November 12th, 2017, I want you to go to work 30 minutes early and then stop by Meijer on your way home.” Direction like that would be simple for us to follow right? But could you imagine how big the Book would have to be...just for one person? And then it wouldn’t apply to anyone else, right?

These types of specific decisions may not be found in the Bible - but that doesn’t make it any less of a guide for our lives! Here are five ways to find direction in the Scriptures for any decision you will face in life. It’s all in there...you just need to know where to look!

First - Try Finding A Specific Command

Some decisions just shouldn’t take long to make.

Should I stay home from church today and catch up on my rest?
Not according to Hebrews 10:25, “...not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Should I return the extra money the bank gave me or consider it a blessing?
Leviticus 19:11 “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely…”

How should I treat my parents as they grow older?
Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”

This is the simplest form of guidance in God’s Word. When you find a direct command, then you simply do what it says. This is God speaking directly into your situation and specifically telling you what to do...it’s best if you pay attention! These direct commands are also the easiest to find. Five minutes and a concordance will help you find any specific commands that God has for your situation.

If you’re like most Christians though, you already have a pretty good grasp on this kind of direct guidance. In the three examples above, you probably already knew what God would want you to do, right? We’ll deal with this more in a minute, but this is a very important point: if you already know God’s will for your situation, don’t pretend like you don’t! If you know what the Bible says about a situation, don’t go to Him and ask for direction again. Just do what you know to do!

When There Is No Direct Command, Try Finding A Biblical Principle

A lot of issues in our lives have no direct commands, but are taught about in Scripture using basic principles.

For example, the Bible doesn’t specifically tell husbands to buy their wives flowers – but it does teach the principle of loving your wife.
It doesn’t tell us specifically what movies to watch – but it does give us clear warnings against violence and lust.
It doesn’t tell us the names of who our friends should be – but we can see clear principles about the nature of godly friends.

When you find yourself facing a choice with no clear command in the Bible, then make the choice that best fits Biblical principles. Do your diligence to research your situation, read any Bible passages that apply, and then make the decision that best honors God and follows the teaching of Scripture.

Here’s a piece of advice: Once you’ve made the decision that you think is most Biblical, then don’t worry about whether you made the right choice. As long as you’re making the decision based on what the Bible says (and not on how you feel), you really can’t go wrong.

After you’ve made a decision like this, use your faith and hold onto Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord…” Even if you made the wrong choice, if you’re trying to honor God in it, then you can trust that God will direct you where you need to go.” Proverbs 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Find Examples Inside the Bible’s History

Sometimes guidance can come from an example in a Bible story. Scriptures are full of people who faced the same situations and decisions that we face today. Looking at how they handled their issues can show us ways to handle ours.

Daniel, Esther, and the Apostles show us how to fearlessly stand up to Godless authorities - sometimes to confront, sometimes to encourage.
Isaac and Rebekah, Ruth and Boaz, and Elkannah and Hannah can give us examples of healthy husband/wife relationships
David gives us a good example of what it means to truly repent.
David and Jonathan are a great illustration of a covenant friendship.

These are all great examples to follow. These are heroes in our faith that we can imitate in many areas of life.

But sometimes wrong examples can be just as effective as right examples. When we see a bad choice played out, it becomes easier for us to make the right choice.
The wrong way to relate to authority can be seen in the story of Korah’s rebellion against Moses.
The wrong way to get a promotion is modeled by Absalom’s coup against David.
David’s little liaison with Baathsheba shows us what a secret sin can do to a great leader.

When we’re looking to these great men and women of the Bible, we must remember to interpret their stories through the commands and principles we already know.
We know that David was a bad example at times - such as when he trusted in the strength of his armies instead of the promise of God.
But there were also times when he was a honorable man and even heroic - like when he showed kindness to Jonathan’s son.
If that’s the case, then how do we know when we should follow his example and when we shouldn’t? You interpret his story in light of what the rest of the Bible teaches! The Bible clearly condemns adultery, so that would be a bad example to avoid. But the Bible does teach us to have faith in God, so his victory over Goliath would be a good example to follow.

Always use what the Bible teaches to discern between bad and good examples!

Compare The Spirit To The Word

Have you ever thought you heard God say something to your heart, but weren’t sure of it? If you’re like me, you’ve asked the question, “God, was that you?”

I’ve found that when I spend more time in the Bible, it’s easier for me to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. This is because I learn to recognize God’s voice when I read the Bible. You see, the voice of the Word is the same as the voice of the Spirit. The more you hear His voice from His written Word, the easier it will be to recognize His voice when He speaks to your spirit.

Don’t ever accept a word you hear in your spirit, until you compare it with what the Bible says. There are a lot of deceptive voices out there (your own natural, human mind being one of them), and it’s dangerous to believe that what you’re hearing is from God without backing it up. The Bible is the only truth, and it must be the judge of any thought, idea, or opinion.

I’ve also discovered, the more you know God’s word, the easier it will be to judge any personal word given to you by another believer. A lot of times, so-called “spiritual” people are just goofy! Many believers are still trying to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit, and many of them will firmly believe any voice that pops in their head. When they say “Thus saith the Lord”, it may only be “Here’s what I think…” That’s a big difference!

1 John 4:1 "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world." This is a direct command: Do not believe just any voice - even if that voice claims to come from God! Always test it, using God's Word.

Always make sure that you can back up your choices with a direct command or principle from God’s Word. The worst explanation you can give for a decision is this: “I just feel like…” No my friends, always support your choices with chapter and verse!

When You Know, Make The Choice

When you know the choice to make, don’t keep acting as if you didn’t. It’s easy to keep asking for direction when we don’t want to make a decision. But when you know what God wants you to do, do it! Do it immediately! Don’t pretend like you’re “waiting on God” if you’re really stalling for time.

This is what the Israelites did to Jeremiah. Deep inside, they already knew what God wanted them to do. But they came to ask the prophet for direction, hoping that God would change His mind. The truth of the matter was, they weren’t willing to accept His direction.

God won’t change His mind. If He’s already told you what He wants you to do, asking Him again isn’t going to help. If you know the choice you have to make, then don’t drag it on any further, just make it!

As you can see, the Bible should be our number one resource when we’re make decisions in life. The results of making Bible-based choice cannot be denied!
Joshua 1:8 NLT “Study this Book of instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

The only way to prosper and succeed in all you do is to study and meditate on the Word of God - and then act on what you know. This is the perfect conclusion to our twelve-part study of the Bible...A life that is built on the Bible will always be a successful life!