Healthy Decision Making

Now that it is getting colder again, I had to remind myself how many layers I really need as I head out the door for an early morning run.

The first cold snap and I put on way too many. I overdressed due to the initial shock of the temperatures as I had been accustomed to the warmer mornings. But from experience I knew I would warm up quickly when I got moving and be too hot. I allowed my feelings in the moment decide for me and influence my decision instead of going off experience and knowledge of the truth.

That is so easy to do in other situations of our lives as well. We take how we are feeling the moment and make a rash decision rather than looking into our past experiences to pull out a well-thought out decision.

We sometimes block out all awareness of Christ and go through life to the beat of our own song. That is when we miss a lot of blessings. Bitterness destroys lives, marriages and relationships.

Regret and resentment from bad choices can weigh on us and we start to allow it to define us and our self-worth takes a nose dive off the deep end. We sink like a rock. That’s where Jesus comes in and throws us a life-line.

I am learning to hit pause on my decision making until I have consulted God. I have found Him to be a helpful and necessary consultant. This practice has saved me from many bad decisions or ones that are made from feelings, in the moment, rather than being based on His truth and knowledge from lessons learned. If we look to Him before charging out on our own it can save us from some major catastrophes in our life.

Leaning to hit pause before I speak is also something I have had to learn over time. It has kept me from blurting out something I would regret later. A simple, silent prayer or whisper, “Help me Holy Spirit” helps me hold my tongue in certain situations and respond appropriately.

There are still times that I mess up, make mistakes and don’t know how to be honest and direct in my communications. Usually because I don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings. God is still working on me. He gives me insight on how to respond the next time and courage to be honest and properly communicate what I mean.

Honesty is always the best policy. That doesn’t mean I have to be mean or rude. It simply means I can say what I mean in a kind, gentle way. I need to be direct in my communications, so others are clear about my stance. Not being clear has gotten me in trouble in the past. Not being able to say no is something I dealt with that I don’t want to continue. Being firm is sometimes necessary in certain situations. Boundaries are healthy and necessary.

Decisions themselves have always been a struggle in my life. It was always easier to just allow others to make them for me and not stand up for myself. (This is how I became a co-dependent, people-pleaser) I grew up in a family that didn’t communicate what they were really thinking.  Trying to decide where to eat became a major decision every time and resulted in us not being able to make any of the important decisions in our lives. That carried over into adulthood for most of my life. But God, is showing me how to make healthy choices and decisions that have changed my life and ultimately lead me to Christ.

He saved me from my bad choices and tells me that is not who I am. When our self-worth is found in Christ alone we can get our head out of the water and see the light again.

The only one I need to please is God. That makes all my decisions clearer by asking what God wants for me, based on His truth and the knowledge He gives me.

“Trust the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.” Proverbs 3:5-7

An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. Proverbs 24:26