Decisions, Decisions

One of the frequent questions I get asked as a pastor or I hear people discussing is, "How do I know the will of God?"  It may be phrased differently by some, such as "does God want me to do ________?"  However its phrased, the question is born out of a desire to align our lives with God.  This desire is created by God.  When God said, "let us make man in our image", He created in us the ability to worship.  For many of us, the grind of daily decisions can be pressing at times.  Most of the stress we endure in decision making comes out of a false pretense I believe.  The fear is, we might make a decision that God did not have in the plan.  For example, "does God want me to take this job or that job?"  "Does God want me to move to this city?"  These are really important decisions, no doubt.  But I think we get it wrong when we are afraid to make a decision because we might mess up God's plan.  Let me relieve you of some stress:

Nothing gets in the way of God's plan.

There.  Did that feel better?  I hope so.  The reality is that God guides our every step while we're in step with Him.  If you're walking with God, in relationship with Him, submitting yourself to His ways, then the right decision is the one you make.  Let me say it another way.  The right decision, honored by God, may just be for you to DO SOMETHING.  Too often we miss out on the joys God has for us by sitting idle and waiting for "clarity", which sometimes is another way of saying, "I'm too afraid to take a risk."

Here are some questions to ask yourself in decision making:

1.  Do I have integrity in this situation?  Proverbs 11:3 says, "The integrity of the upright guides them,..." (italics mine).  If integrity is a priority over achievement and fulfillment, then you can rest more comfortably in making decisions.

2.  Have I asked for perspective from those I trust?  Verse 14 says"...but in an abundance of counselors there is safety."  One of the great pieces of leadership advice I have received is from Jason Young, who told me to build a table of influence; people I surround myself with who can speak into my life in various ways.  In fact, Jason is writing a book called "Table of Influence" and I can't wait to read it.

3.  Have I learned from past experience?

A helpful passage from the prayer book SacredSpace:

Ignatius Loyola's Spiritual Exercises were designed in the first place as a way of making good decisions.  The first thing he would say about our decision-making is that we have to learn from experience, and  not commit the same errors over again.  Secondly, we should reflect on our experience and see what its elements are, analyse what happened, why one thing worked while another thing did not, and so on. p. 262

What do you value?

Two books that I've read recently have had me trying to answer the question, "What are my core values/beliefs?" Emotional Intelligence 2.0
and Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank and Renewing Your Passion have both served me well in traveling down this road of discovering what matters most to me. I am just beginning this process, but it has already been extremely beneficial.

What do you value most?
What are the things that only YOU can do?

Answering these questions will help you be a better steward of your time and energy.

Change, Change, Change

I've been thinking a lot about change lately. I've asked myself questions like, "Is change for the sake of change always good?", or "Does change mean we're always moving forward?". One of the things I like about change is that it forces you to reflect on what is truly important; the things that matter most. I'm looking at making some changes in my routine, and for me its going to be a challenge. I came across this article on how to make everyone happy. I'm reminded of Bill Cosby's quote:

"I don't know the secret to success. But I do know the secret to failure, and that is to try to please everybody."