How to Make the Best Decisions of Your Life
The average human makes about 612 decisions a day. This means we will likely make 4,900 decisions this week and 254,800 over the course of a year. Some decisions are easy. The Bible provides lots of specific commands about how we can honor Jesus with our money, our relationships and even our time.
But what about all the decisions that aren’t specifically talked about in the Bible? 1 Corinthians 10:23 cautions us that, while grace gives us the right do anything, not everything is beneficial or constructive. So how can we know if we’re making decisions that are both beneficial and constructive?
Not Sinning Is Not The Point
When weighing our options we often ask ourselves, “Is this behavior a sin?” But we need to pursue more than just avoiding bad behavior.
In Titus 2:11, a letter to a young church leader, the apostle Paul writes, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
As Christians, we aren’t called to simply avoid sin. We are called to pursue righteousness and become more like Jesus. We don’t only say “no” to sin, we say “yes” to living godly lives. Our approach to all choices, especially ones that aren’t explicitly clear in scripture, should reflect this truth.
Drawing Closer vs. Pushing Away
In the face of any decision, ask yourself this question: “Does this choice further or hinder the Gospel?” 1 Peter 2:9 declares of Christians, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” All of our actions and choices, big or small, should point to how great God is. You have been chosen by God to pursue good deeds because it is through our good deeds that we show how much we value God and how beautiful the gospel really is.
The apostle Paul modeled this for us in the way he made decisions. Although Paul had a right to be paid by the church in Corinth, he chose not to so he wouldn't hinder the spread of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:12).
All of our actions and choices, big or small, should point to how great God is.
In 1 Corinthians 9:19 Paul writes, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” Likewise, we should approach decisions recognizing that our choices affect how those around us see Jesus. Does this choice show God to be better than anything else in the world? Or does this choice show that something else is more valuable than my relationship with God?
When we remember that God has chosen us to show others how remarkable the Gospel is, we can filter all of our choices through this lens and live without a single regret.