As we face choices in life, we want to make good decisions. We want to glorify God and make right choices. How to achieve that outcome is often murky. Biblical decision-making is rooted in our faith in God—a belief that God is good, intimately involved inour lives, and wants us to commit our way to him. This belief prompts us to submit our will to him instead of doing that which is right in our own eyes. As we submit to the Lord, we will embrace key decision-making principles highlighted throughout God’s Word and grow in our ability to make sound, biblical decisions.

Making Decisions is Faith Building - How we make decisions is often more important than the actual decision we make. Wemay wish to receive a quick and clear answer to every request and question we hold. However, engaging in a decision-makingprocess guided by the Holy Spirit and scripture affords an opportunity to strengthen our faith. The Scriptures speak of “(e)stablishing, strengthening, and settling”[1] and a “perfecting”[2] which takes place through our ongoing walk with the Lord. We should expect decision-making to be a refining spiritual exercise which can draw us closer to the Lord. 

God’s Word is the foundation for biblical decision-making. Our life and our decisions should be consistent with the Word. It is “A lamp to our feet and a light to our path.”[3] Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”[4] By spending time in God’s Word, we grow in faith and in our love for the Word, which helps us become familiar with the Word and move toward sound decision-making by ordering our steps in the Word. When we walk in the Word, one step of obedience at a time, we find many decisions are made almost without notice: love instead of hate or indifference; honesty instead of falsehood; encouragement instead of criticism; integrity instead of hypocrisy; and humility instead of pride. 

While the Lord offers a great deal of freedom in the specifics of our decision-making, God’s Word provides the framework forwise choices. Ponder these considerations for correctly applying Scripture:

• Ask the Lord to open our understanding of Scripture that we may receive and apply its truth. 
• Diligently interpret the Bible in context, considering the whole counsel of the Word.
• Submit to the Word. Take from Scripture what it says, not what we want it to say. Even Christ was submissive to his Father’s Word.
• Avoid superimposing specific personal meanings, such as when reading the word “go” in Scripture, and assuming it means an affirmative answer to a decision such as, “Should I go to college?” Minimize the need for signs and don't believe God must provide a sign. Our object of faith must be God, rather than a sign. If it seems a sign has been given, it must be tested against Scripture. 
• Seek godly counsel. The experience of seasoned believers and the counsel of church leadership provides safety against personal scriptural interpretation error.
• Handle the Word with humility and respect and let it continually transform us into people of God.

Faith and Godly Wisdom - Sound decision-making maintains the proper harmony between...

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... faith and godly wisdom. Asbelievers, we “walk by faith, not by sight,”[5] and refer to faith as believing in, trusting in, and adhering to God’s will for our life.Walking by faith does not mean we feel rigidly certain. Faith is faith precisely because we do not have complete certainty orknowledge of the future. It is God’s design that we hold to the certainty of his character and nature instead of having complete certainty in life’s circumstances, including decision-making.

In addition to faith, we can exercise godly wisdom, applying the mind of Christ to our God-given abilities of reasoned thought and contemplation. Godly wisdom begins with reverential fear of God and is grounded on the principles and teachings of Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives the believer spiritual discernment to understand godly wisdom apart from worldly wisdom. Scripture never pits faith against godly wisdom. Rather, faith and godly wisdom flow from God and are designed to work in harmony.

A key aspect of growing in wisdom is to seek wise counsel from experienced believers early in the process, before our mind is made up and we are simply seeking permission. Seeking counsel also grows humility and builds bonds of trust and community, helping us see what we may have missed. 

Waiting on God - Embracing a period of waiting is difficult. It is easy to become restless and anxious, yet God has purpose forwaiting. While we are waiting, God may be working simultaneously in the hearts of others. Our waiting should be active, not a passive slipping into decision paralysis. It is in these waiting moments we should most prayerfully lean into the instructions of the Word. For example, if I am waiting for the church to send me as an evangelist, who should I serve now? If I am waiting for employment, what should I be busy with currently? If I am waiting on marriage, how can I show Christ-like love to others as a single and continue to build healthy relationships? The character formation during a time of waiting can be the objective itself and lead to growth, refinement, and worship.

Making the Decision – Healthy decisions should rest on faith, not fear. There are pitfalls to avoid when the time comes to decide:

• Confirmation Bias: a tendency to see only what confirms our assumptions, what we already think, and to dismiss what contradicts or raises serious caution about our assumptions.
• Loss Aversion: a tendency to fear the pain of loss more than the possibility of positive impact and thus overemphasize the option of least discomfort or change.
• Faith vs. Feelings: confusion over what we believe to be true versus what we feel to be true. Belief is a choice, but feelings happen. People often default to feelings during times of uncertainty.
• Open Door or Closed Door: overemphasizing something that is easy to attain as an “open door” or falsely believing that decisions should be difficult, seeing a “closed door” as more spiritual.

Decision-making can be difficult yet rewarding, not because we make the right decision every time, but because faith in God and spiritual growth will be honored in our decision-making. Allowing ourselves to draw closer to his word, the Spirit, and church family can help us choose wisely. Knowing God loves us and will keep walking with us through the decision-making processshould give us courage and hope as we apply his Word to this important aspect of our lives.

[1] 1 Peter 5:10

[2] Psalm 138:8

[3] Psalm 119:105

[4] John 14:15

[5] 2 Corinthians 5:7