Jeremiah 43-45

Hebrews 5

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”    —Proverbs 19:21

Every day we need to make decisions. We do not sit around passively and, suddenly, all our circumstances carry us on currents and so on. We have to make decisions and there are five questions to help us make decisions. The first question is, “What do my inner convictions say?” Psalm 37:4 tells us, “Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” There is a right way and a wrong way to read this verse. The wrong way is to interpret the verse as delighting ourselves in God and He will give us everything we want. The right way is to recognize that as we delight ourselves in God, He will place God-given desires into our heart. What is it deep inside of us that we would love to do? We can trust that it could be from God. We do not need to be afraid of our convictions. If they are of God, they will keep fanning into flame, but if they are not, they will die.

The second question is, “What does Scripture say?” Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” God’s Word is our guide. For example, if our goal is to make lots of money, Scripture warns us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith…”
(1 Timothy 6:10). Having money is not a bad thing. If making money is what God calls us to do, then do it; but not for greed’s sake, which will poison us.

The third question is, “What do my circumstances say?” When we look at our circumstance, sometimes, we get the answer right away. Our circumstances will reveal whether something is what we are supposed to do. The fourth question is, “What do people I trust say?” Proverbs 12:15 tells us, “…the wise listen to advice.” Proverbs 19:20 goes, “Listen to advice…and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” No one can make a decision for us, but asking for advice can help us think things through more clearly.

Finally, the last question is, “Where does the compass seem to point?” By this, take a sheet of paper and write down reasons that are for or against the issue at hand. After taking some time to think, pray about it and work through it, we will usually land for or against it. Time also helps give clarity.

The above five questions help us to be wise when we make decisions, but once we know from God what our next step is, may we have the courage and boldness to do it.

Lord God, thank You for how You guide through inner convictions, Scripture, circumstances, people I trust and the compass. Give me the courage and boldness to follow through with what You are calling me to do.