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The other day, I was asked by someone online, “How do I make major or minor decisions?” The first thing I do in making a decision whether major or minor is to pray. The second thing, I do is read through and meditate on the book of Proverbs. The third thing I do is to go talk to godly counselors since Proverbs teaches that in the abundance of counselors there is wisdom (Proverbs 11:14). The fourth thing I do is to pray again. After I’ve done all of this- prayed, read Proverbs (or other Scripture also), talked to godly counselors, prayed again, I make the decision.
If you noticed the order of how I make a decision, I intentionally put in the word “prayer” twice. At every crucial juncture of Jesus ministry- He prayed. Just to give two examples, Jesus prayed before He commissioned the Twelve Disciples, and in the Garden of Gethsemane before He went to the Cross. If prayer was so central to the ministry of Jesus then it ought to be essential to the lives of those who proclaim themselves to be follower of Jesus.
Making decisions, whether they are major or minor can be difficult. Some decisions such as getting married involve your entire family close friends, and you’re Pastor. Other decisions may not involve a wide circle of people in your life. All decisions that believers make should be done to the glory of God. Every decision that believers make ought to be made through the lens of a biblical worldview. Crucial to making sound decisions is having a firm grasp on what God has said in His Word. One of the keys to making good decisions is to be thoroughly grounded not in what you think the Gospel is, but in fact- what it is truly.
The Gospel is the announcement that Jesus has come into the world- born in a manager, lived a sinless life, suffered, died, was buried and rose again for the purpose of seeking and saving the lost. The Bible has one unifying message and that is the Gospel.
Knowing what the Gospel is addresses many areas in the life of the believer- such as how to deal with feelings of guilty, shame, and condemnation. Knowing the message of the Gospel helps the believer to live a holy life unto the Lord. Knowing the Gospel helps the believer to engage non-believers in evangelism. Knowing what Gospel is helps the believer understand and appreciate the precious biblical truths of regeneration, imputation, justification, adoption, sanctification, and glorification.
Understanding the Gospel will help the believer to live their new life as a new creation in Christ. Understanding the Gospel will help the believer to live out their new life, and new identity in Christ. Understanding the Gospel will help the believer deal with difficulty, suffering, and hard times. Understanding the Gospel will give the believer a sense of urgency to live a holy life that testifies to the truthfulness of Christ and the totality of the work of Christ on their behalf.
Making decisions is both easy and hard. Making decisions is easy because the Lord Jesus in His Word teaches the folly of those who trust in their own wisdom (Proverbs 3). Making decisions is hard, because man wrestles like Jacob did with God to understand why circumstances and situations in one’s life often turn out the way they do. Making decisions is hard because man lives in a sin stricken world- where man is a sinner by nature and choice. The only way to make godly decisions is by resting in the finished work of Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Christ calls us in Matthew 11:28-30 to come to Him and find rest for our burdens.
The Lord knows our needs, burdens, our anxieties, fears, and doubts. This is why the believer must trust in the Lord and not in themselves. The key to making godly decisions is to trust in the sovereign care of God. The natural inclination of the human heart is to trust in ourselves. The believer in Christ is one who believes that the Lord created the world, sustains the world and who orders all things in accordance with His will and good pleasure, for His glory. The Lord longs for His children to trust in Him- to know His goodness, and for them to find their pleasure and satisfaction in Him.
How do you make decisions? Do your decisions reveal your trust in God, or your lack of trust in Him? Today, I urge you to allow the Lord through the work of His Word and Spirit to examine you, and purify you. Allow the Spirit to convict you of self-reliance and self-righteousness. Allow the Lord to minister to you today so that you can grow in Him.
As the Holy Spirit does His work in your life- repent, turn from your sin, and confess your dependence upon the finished work of Christ. As you turn from yourself to God, I urge you to pray as you learn to make decisions. Spend time in Proverbs. Find godly counselors in your local Church, or talk to godly believers you know. Pray again, and then make your decision.
Making godly decisions requires trust in the sovereign care and concern of a good God who loves us and wants His children to grow in His image and likeness. I urge you today- to put your trust in the Lord, rest in His finished work, pray, read the Word of God, find godly counselors, and make all your decisions for the sake of the Gospel to the glory of God.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
