Choices Everywhere!

Have you ever wondered how many choices we make in a day? It has been suggested that thousands of decisions are made, ranging from simple to complex. We decide what to wear and eat, where to drive and what lane to be in, how to communicate (by text, email, phone call, face to face), what to read or watch on media.

Things that were simple have become complex. For instance, coffee used to have two choices–regular or decaf; now there are increasing menu options at fast food restaurants that make ordering a simple cup of coffee an involved thinking process. And then there’s the coffee specialty shops where you need a degree in coffee beans to figure out what you want.

On top the myriad of daily life choices, there are life changing decisions of where to live, what career to pursue, who to marry, and how to invest and spend money.

Too many choices can lead to decision fatigue. I experienced that in the year we decided to move to a different state. I felt overwhelmed with all the decisions we had made by August, and still 4 months left of decisions before the end of the year. Yikes!

When we are overwhelmed with decision fatigue we can rest in knowing that the Lord is with us and will guide us as we seek HIm. Our free will leads us often in determining what we choose, but Scripture urges us to choose carefully.

Here are 4 verses to guide our choices:

• Choose what is right and good.

“Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.” Job 34:4

• Choose to fear the Lord.

“Because they hated moral knowledge, and did not choose to fear the LORD,” Proverbs 1:29 NET

• Choose friends wisely.

“The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.” Proverbs 12:26  NLT

• Choose God’s ways.

“So you shall observe to do just as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left.” Deuteronomy 5:32 NIV

A promise of life is given for choosing the Lord’s ways:

“You shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess.”  Deuteronomy 5:33.

The primary filter for our choices is in this verse:

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 NIV

Once we make the choice of fearing and serving the Lord, it will be the filter for all other choices. We don’t have to fret as much. Oh, we still will because that’s what we do, but we can rest in the knowledge of His sovereignty and care for us. When we are overwhelmed we can find refuge in Him. He will lead us when the way gets tough.

The foundation for life choices is in our relationship with the Lord. As we know Him through the wisdom of His Word, the Bible, we can make right choices.