Decision Making 101

How do we make decisions? How can we be sure of God’s will? Sometimes I wonder if it is just fine with God whether we do “Ministry A” or “Ministry B”. I mean, think about marriage. I don’t believe in soul mates. I think the human heart has such a huge capacity to love and be loved that we are not stuck trying to find that one and only person in the world that is just right for us. I think we are quite capable of loving others as well. Maybe it’s a little different, but that’s only because each of us is different.

It’s the same with ministry. I don’t think God would be MAD at Kyle is he decides not to go to Puerto Rico. I don’t think it’s like God is saying, “Man, he better do this one thing or he’s out of My will.” You know? I’m sure it will be pleasing and honoring to the Lord if Kyle stays and helps with VBS and goes to Wild Wood for the camping trip like he originally planned before Tim Heath entered the picture. And if God is calling someone to do something specific like a mission trip, wouldn’t He give the person a desire to do it? Is it right to serve God and feel like you don’t really want to be doing this thing? I mean, sometimes people go and do what God says even if they don’t want to (Jeremiah, for example) but that’s not exactly normal these days. And besides, Jeremiah heard God’s voice.

So, how do you make tough decisions? Should it be a matter of how you feel about it? Or should it be a matter of doing it just so you won’t feel guilty for not doing it? Are you supposed to wait to see if a lot of people encourage you to do it? What if they are all wrong? What if he goes on the mission trip because he feels stupid for not having done anything “important” before, and then he positively HATES it? I don’t think God sends us on missions that we hate, do you? What if he doesn’t go and then feels guilty for years afterward for not going? Three weeks away from home is a long time, especially for someone who’s never left home before, and especially in a place where they don’t speak English. That would be terribly isolating for anyone.

Then there is Ryan deciding what to do about worship leading this summer. What should be his motivation: Guilt? Comfortability? Friends? No, none of those. Where can he serve God in the best capacity? What is most honoring to God? As with Kyle, he needs to seek God and try to figure out what He wants him to do. In either case, I am happy that the boys take their decisions so seriously and give them the thought and prayer that they deserve. I would like them both to have peace with their decisions and not be burdened with those nagging feelings of having missed God’s best for themselves, or having made this huge mistake that is going to ruin their lives. They are both doing their best to honor the Lord and give Him glory in all that they do. No parent could ever ask for more than that!!

On another note, it seems to me that if God is calling a person to service, He generally will give the person a passion for it. Right? Then again, where do you draw the line between passion and feelings? If we call it a passion, it’s seems ok in the Christian community. But as soon as we start calling it our feelings, we learn to not trust them. I know that both boys had things they wanted to accomplish this summer. Are those goals selfish or do they stem from their God-given talents?

God, please help the boys figure out what to do.

PS, I may have lost a daughter, but I have tons of love left in me for 2 future daughters-in-law and lots of grandchildren.