Making Decisions Easier

Mike Hosey, Elder

Every serious adult knows how hard it can be to make a decision at times.  All of us have been in that place of paralysis where we are afraid to make a decision, because, frankly, we know that all decisions have consequences. We are either paralyzed by a fear of the bad consequences of a decision in which there seems to be no good options, or we are paralyzed by a fear of missing out on good or better consequences if we choose the wrong option.

And therein sits the key to a lot of decision making – realizing that decision making is simply the act of choosing between options. Roy E. Disney, the late Walt Disney Company billionaire once made a great observation about this.  He said, “When your values are clear, making decisions becomes a lot easier.”

By Obsidian Soul via Wikimedia Commons

Think about his observation for a moment. Most Christians don’t have a problem making a decision about whether or not to steal – even in times of great need.  This is because our value system says stealing is wrong, and so the decision to not steal is easier because we ultimately make all of our choices based on what we value.  Since we value pleasing God, we try to avoid decisions that displease him. We are even willing to suffer the pain of want and poverty, over the pain of a troubled conscience.

Therefore, one of the first steps in making a good decision is defining the choice.  Is this choice a moral or spiritual choice or a non-moral choice? Once the choice is defined in those terms it becomes much easier to apply your value system to it.  It also becomes easier to search the wisdom of the Bible, the wisdom of your church community, as well as to pray (and to listen) for guidance.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us this very thing.  Essentially, that passage says to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, to acknowledge him in all of our ways, and to not lean on our own understanding, and He will make straight our paths. In other words, applying God’s value system to all our problems will guide you on the right path.