Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Devotional for Tuesday, June 15, 1999 by Chad Janey

It seems that no matter how old we are, or what point of our life we are in, we are always "plagued" by decisions that we must make. Sometimes they are small decisions, while other times they are big, perhaps even life-changing, decisions.

It seems in my home, my wife and I struggle with even the smallest of decisions. We take forever trying to decide what to fix for dinner each night. But in the past few days I have been literally surrounded by huge decisions of vast importance. Not all of the decisions have fallen upon me, but upon my family and those around me.

My brother drove up from Alabama to visit us and our parents, and upon arriving told me that his car had been overheating along the way. The diagnosis of my mechanic was a blown head-gasket, which translates to nearly $1000 worth of work. So now my brother is facing the decision of buying a new car while he is here. My father, on the other hand, is facing major decisions concerning his career future, while my wife and I are in the process of buying a house. My entire family is facing major decisions, and yet just the other night none of us could make a decision as to where to go and what to do on Saturday.

I am sure everyone reading this is facing or has recently faced a major decision in their life. Why is it that we seem to have so much difficulty making decisions? The answer is quite simple, but the solution is often a difficult one for us to accept and follow. The reason it is so hard for us to decide upon things is that we try to do it all on our own without proper guidance. None of us would dare go on a jungle safari without a proper guide to lead us to our destination, yet we face a jungle of decisions every day and try to make it on our own.

The wonderful reality is that we do indeed have a guide who is there to help us with even the smallest of decisions. In today's Scripture, the Psalmist tells us that God has us by our right hand and that He will guide us with His counsel. What better guide could we ask for than the omnipotent, omniscient creator of the universe? God is always there with the right answer and the proper direction for us to follow, and all we have to do is ask. But that is where it gets so difficult for most of us. We have become so self-reliant that we think we can handle all of these things on our own.

I for one have come to realize that I cannot make it on my own, or even with the help of my wife and family. Not until we give our decisions over to God can we be truly confident that we have made or will make the right decision. God has promised to never forsake or leave us, and that He will always provide for our needs. We need only to look to Him to guide us along life's journey.

So don't try to tame the jungle on your own. Let God be your guide.

Prayer: Wise and gracious God, who delights to lead your children by the hand, You know the end from the beginning. Thank you that your Son Jesus has come to tell us, "I am the way." Help us to seek your counsel in all the decisions we face, from the least to the greatest. Lead us with your perfect counsel, and afterwards receive us in your glory. Amen.

Chad Janey <cjaney@teamt.com>
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

E-mail This Devotional to a friend without subscribing them, or give a Gift Subscription.
Today's Music:     Jesus, Lover Of My Soul.  

Previous Devotional: The Surprise

Next Devotional: Who Am I?