I know,
I know, is it not funny how we can form things into step so easily? although reading this article, I knew you could take what
information from it that would enrich each one of our lives, because is it not also true that we are not like plants we are
not always going to need the same nutrients at the same intricate time, although we need God nutrition to make this masterpiece
of His operate correctly.
Introduction
Do you have trouble making decisions?
For some people decision making is easy. But for most of us, it's difficult to know if we're using good judgment as we make
daily decision about life. It becomes even harder with important, life-changing decisions. In her humorous and candid style,
Karen Wolff examines the concepts of judgment and discernment from a biblical standpoint and offers four keys to making right
decisions.
4 Keys to Making Right Decisions
How do you define judgment? Webster says:
"The process of forming an
opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing; an opinion or estimate so formed; the capacity for judging; discernment;
the exercise of this capacity; a proposition stating something believed or asserted."
That pretty much says it all, doesn't it? The truth is, everybody uses judgment every day in the decision
making process. It just gets complicated when other people evaluate that judgment. Whether it was good judgment or bad judgement
depends on who you ask.
So how do you know who to listen to? Who gets to decide if you're showing good judgment?
The answer comes when you look to God for a solution. Believing and relying on God's Word will shed incredible
light on just about any issue. God has an amazing plan for you and your life, and he does all he can to help you find and
attain it. So when you work with God, he gives you the grace to make right decisions and show good judgment.
Of course, I'm not so sure that grace extends to that ugly, green shirt you bought just because it was on
sale. And it might not cover your decision to shave your head because you lost a bet. I think the consequences of those decisions
will ultimately be yours and yours alone!
You do have to be very careful when you start making efforts to improve on this area of decision making
and judgment, though. Just because you're working with God to move forward in your own life, doesn't mean you have the right
or responsibility to judge what someone else is doing. It's so easy to have an opinion about others because you have no direct
responsibility for what other people do or say. But God isn't going to ask you about someone else when you stand before him
someday. He is only going to be concerned about what you said and did.
Getting Started on the Road to Right Decision Making
So how do you get started working with God so you
can begin making right decisions and showing good judgment? Here are four keys to point you in the right direction:
1.Make the decision to let God be God. You'll never make progress in this area as long as you refuse to
give up control. It certainly isn't easy, and it certainly doesn't happen overnight, especially if you're a control freak
as I once was. It almost drove me completely nuts when I began giving up control of things. But it helped immensely when I
realized there was somebody a bit more qualified than me in charge of my life.
Proverbs 16
We can make our own plans,
but the Lord gives the right answer. (NLT)
2.Study the Word of God. The only way you're going to get to know God and his character is to study
his Word. It won't take long before you're able to judge situations and circumstances with a new view. Decisions are easier
because you already know in advance the direction you want your life to take.
2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present
yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (NKJV)
3.Surround yourself with people who are further along in the journey. There is no reason to learn every
lesson yourself when you have perfectly good examples right in front of you. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we often counsel
one another from what we've learned through our mistakes. Take advantage of this counsel and learn from the mistakes of others
so your own learning curve is not so steep. You'll be very glad you don't have to go through every mistake as you learn from
observing and listening to others. But trust me, you'll still make plenty of your own mistakes. You can take comfort in knowing
that one day your mistakes may serve to help someone else.
Corinthians 11:1
Follow my example, as I follow the example
of Christ. (NIV)
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all
our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has
given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. (NLT)
4.Never give up. Be glad about your progress. Let yourself off the hook. You didn't start showing poor
judgment overnight and you won't always show good judgment now, just because you want to. Just be happy you're making progress
and you're seeing your life improve. Little by little as you gain wisdom from God's Word, you'll begin to see the results
reflected in your decisions.
Hebrews 12:1-3
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this
by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured
the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility
he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. (NLT)
It takes time to develop good judgment, but once you make the commitment to move forward in this area, you're
halfway there. Working with God is continuous, but it is worth the effort.
Also by Karen Wolff
• How to Share
Your Faith
• Worship Through Relationship
• Raising Kid's God's Way
Karen Wolff, a guest writer for About.com, is host to a Christian Web site for women. As founder of Christian-Books-for-Women.com,
she wants to provide Christian women with a place to find practical information, tips, and help with a variety of issues they
face every day. For more information visit Karen's Bio Page.
