the snare of indecision

I have wasted more time than I care to recount at the crossroad of indecision. Deliberating on whether I should go left or right.  Give my yes or no. Invest my time or money here or there. Early on in my Christian walk, I was so bound by indecision that I could barely make any decisions without lengthy times of “thinking it through,” and “weighing all my options” carefully. In hindsight, indecision was usually an unwillingness to act in faith, and it often left me feeling paralyzed and stuck. It robbed me of confidence more times than I can count. 

Do you ever find yourself stuck at the crossroad of indecision? Concerned that if you make the “wrong” decision, you may miss a better opportunity?  Or maybe your fear of making a wrong decision keeps you from making any decision at all.

If this is, you- I understand. I have walked a mile or two in your shoes, and I can attest that it is a way of life that often is filled with regrets.  Many times, not making a decision is substantially worse than making a “wrong” decision.  I have discovered that whenever I act in faith, God is for me and if God is for me, no matter how things turn out, I have not lost. When we are in faith, His grace always abounds toward us but as soon as we move out of faith into fear that supply gets shut down. Therefore, action taken in faith is always better than non-action without faith.
 
The word of God has numerous promises that give us the courage we need to face difficult decisions with confidence. Here are a few that have helped me to go from  recoiling from decisions to embracing them with confidence.
 
           In all your ways acknowledge Him,
           And He shall direct your paths.
           Proverbs 3:6
 
           The Lord will guide you continually,
           And satisfy your soul in drought,
           And strengthen your bones;
           You shall be like a watered garden,
           And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
           Isaiah 58:11

         Have I not commanded you?
         Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid,
         nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
         Joshua 1:9

        And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
       to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
       Colossians 3:15

      If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without            reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for           he  who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not             that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-                     minded  man, unstable in all his ways.
       James 1:5-8

     I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
     your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
     reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be
     transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is
     that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
     Romans 12:1-2

So, when I am faced with a challenging or somewhat daunting decision my process will usually go something like this…

First, I acknowledge in faith the Lord is with me, has promised to faithfully direct my steps, and lead me in a way that is for my best and highest good.

Next, I ask the Lord to grant me wisdom for the decision I need to make. In the process I will place everything on the altar before Him, yielding my own agenda, and self-will. This will position me to receive a relatively quick understanding of God’s heart regarding the choices before me.

Then with His peace acting like a governor, I consider each option to see which way yields the fruit of peace in my soul.

If I am still uncertain, I will then put out a fleece. However, a fleece, open and closed doors, etc., should only be used as a confirmation when something vital is at stake. Not as a substitute for relationship.

Finally, the key to this process is coming to Him in faith- relying more on His ability to communicate than your ability to hear.

Resting in the assurance of His desire to lead positions us to be directed!

Indecision does not need to stall us out and hold us captive. The Lord God Almighty has promised to guide us so we can be confident of His leading for every decision we make.

 I LOVE the rendering the Amplified version gives us for John 14:16
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever-
 
I pray this will help you face future decisions with courage and confidence!