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The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

We all face moments in life where we need to make big decisions. Whether it's about relationships, career moves, or major life changes, these crossroad moments can shape our future. The truth is, you can get better at making big decisions by first mastering small ones. But here's the key: no decision that isn't connected to God's will can truly be what it should be in your life.

Jesus taught us in Matthew 7 to build our lives on the rock—on Christ himself. This isn't about giving Jesus just a piece of your life while keeping other areas separate. Everything must rest on Christ. The question isn't just "What is God's plan for my life?" but rather "How does my life fit into God's plan?"

Why Do We Struggle with Decision-Making?

In John 16, Jesus told His disciples something profound: "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." This reveals an important truth—sometimes we aren't ready to receive all that God wants to tell us. Our spiritual maturity affects what God can reveal to us.

But Jesus didn't leave His disciples without hope. He promised: "When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth." This is our greatest asset for guidance—the Holy Spirit within us and the Word of God working together.

Proverbs 14:12 warns us that "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Just because something looks right doesn't mean it is right. We need discernment.

How Can We Get Wisdom for Decisions?

James 1:5 gives us a beautiful invitation: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God." When you're facing a decision and need wisdom, God invites you to simply ask Him. He won't hold back—He'll give you the wisdom you need.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reinforces this: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." God assures us of His help in making decisions. But we must ask. As James says elsewhere, "You have not because you ask not."

5 Keys to Making Godly Decisions

1. Look Up: Check in with God

Your first step in any decision should be to look up and check in with God. Don't try to figure things out on your own. The psalmist said, "I will look to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord" (Psalm 121:1-2).

Psalm 25:4-5 teaches us to pray: "Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day."

One of our greatest privileges as believers is the opportunity to talk with God. Prayer isn't just us talking—it's spiritual communication between you and your heavenly Father. When you look up to God instead of relying solely on organizations, education, or your own understanding, you get what only God can do for you.

2. Think Back: Learn from Your Past

The second key is to think back and learn lessons from your past. Consider how God saw you through previous situations or other big choices. This isn't about dredging up sin or falling into condemnation—it's about learning from your history with God.

When David faced Goliath, he remembered how God had delivered him from the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:37). His past victories gave him confidence for his present challenge.

Everything you go through—whether from wise choices or foolish ones—can teach you something. The trail behind you is a teacher. While the Holy Spirit is your best teacher, experience can be valuable if you process what you've learned.

3. Dial In: Check Your Heart Against God's Word

Our feelings can fool us. Emotions are wonderful expressions of our individuality, but they shouldn't be what leads us. We're to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Our fallen nature can influence our thinking when we move by emotion rather than by the Spirit.

The Word of God helps us discern our motives (Hebrews 4:12). You can do the right thing for the wrong reason, or the wrong thing with good motives. We need the Holy Spirit and God's Word as guardrails to examine what's happening inside us when making decisions.

4. Zoom Out: Think Long-Term

When making big decisions, zoom out and think about the long-term impact. Consider your legacy. What would your future self say about the choice you're about to make? How will it affect your children and grandchildren?

Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Every day should be lived with the prayer, "Lord, teach me today in a way that I'll be wiser because of how I've lived this day."

Sometimes it helps to do the "tombstone test"—when your life is over, what will matter most? What will pay dividends in eternity? We must live in light of eternity, considering what will matter 100 or 1,000 years from now.

5. Ask Around: Seek Godly Counsel

Finally, ask around and seek godly counsel. It's wise to learn from other people's mistakes rather than making them all yourself.

When we're young, we often think older people don't understand us. But every older person was once young, and many have learned valuable lessons through their own mistakes. The Bible says, "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed" (Proverbs 13:20).

Don't just Google your problems or trust some guru you've never met. Instead, seek wisdom from the Word, the Spirit, godly parents, teachers, and trusted friends who will be honest with you. None of us is as smart as we think we are. God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts.

God's Heart for Your Decisions

Even when we've made wrong decisions, God's heart toward us is revealed in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

God's response to our poor decisions isn't condemnation but invitation: "Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:12-13).

God is saying, "I have good plans for you. I want to bless you. Come, let's talk about it." That's His heart toward each of us, even when we're dealing with the consequences of wrong decisions.

Life Application

This week, commit to applying these five keys to a decision you're currently facing:

  • Look up and check in with God first through prayer.
  • Think back on how God has guided you in similar situations.
  • Dial in by examining your motives against God's Word.
  • Zoom out to consider the long-term impact of your choice.
  • Ask around by seeking counsel from godly people you trust.

 

Ask yourself:

  • Am I building my decisions on the foundation of Christ?
  • Have I been trying to make decisions without consulting God?
  • Which of these five keys do I most often neglect?
  • What past experiences has God used to prepare me for current decisions?
  • Who are the godly counselors in my life that I can turn to for wisdom?

 

Remember, the decision you make today could change the trajectory of your future. With Jesus as your foundation, He wants to be involved in whatever you're facing. Come to Him, and let Him guide your path.