Are you known for being decisive when it comes to making important decisions; or do you tend to hesitate and miss out on the big moments?
As a writer, ideas need to be written down right away; they are like fleeting images on a screen which seem like they will last forever when they are present in front of us, but disappear forever like sand in your shoes when you get home from the beach.
Making decisions in your life is no different. Life is fleeting (Psalm 39:4). The pleasure of sin is fleeting (Hebrews 11:25). Often the chance to make a right decision disappears faster than we could have imagined.
- Miss-placed Identity - We don't know who we are. We struggle with our own view of our self. It's hard to know where you should take a stand if you struggle with who you are in the first place.
- Mistaken Purpose - We don't know what we are supposed to be doing. We struggle with having a clear vision for our lives. We don't know what it is that we are called to do.
- Selfishness and Sin - We don't want to inconvenience our life by making a decision that would cost us something. So we sit back and avoid the moment.
Think about a good film? We ask the question: did the main character make the right decision at the clutch moment? The tension of the film often rests on the protagonist making (or in the case of some indy films: not making) the right decision in the crucial moment.
So, how do we make the most of our moments?
Last week my family went to the beach. We loaded up our van. We put sand toys in the back. I brought a huge shovel to dig a hole big enough for all the kids to build a giant sandcastle. We loaded a DVD player with movies for Abigail and Ethan to watch on the drive. We stopped at Trader Joes and bought sandwiches. We were off for an incredible day. And it was a blast.
But, the important decision my kids needed to make is that they needed to get in the van. The adventure is laid out for them. The day is ready to go. All they needed to do was get into the van. Your life is a lot like an adventure God's walking you on.
God holds all of life in his hand. He knows your day. He knows your life. He knows what you are like. He knows whether or not you will make the right decision. He knows what he's going to do about it when you don't. A famous philosopher once said: the point of life is resting in God who establishes ones' self. And when we rest in this God, all the things - like relationships, decision, and moments - come into focus.
The point of life is not to become "perfect-little-decision-makers"; the point of life is to know God and allow him to show you three things: Who he wants you to be? What he wants you to do? What selfishness you need to get over in order to follow him?
Three questions to help you make the right decision:
- Who has God made you to be? Your identity rests not in your ability to live well. You need God's view of your life.
- What has God created you to do? You need a vision for your life. You need to see what God's called you to do.
- What selfishness do you need to get over in order to follow him? Sin is the distraction that will pull you out of the moment. It will handicap your ability to make a good decision. Recognize it; avoid sin.
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
