Take the Fear out of Decision-Making

“He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3 (NIV) Myself, like most, often fear making the wrong decision, and that creates stress. Facing a decision: Should I hold on or let go? Should I get in or get out? Should I find a new job? Should I move? When I can’t make up my mind, I stagger through life. In fact, the Bible says in James 1:6-8 that when I'm double-minded, I become unstable in everything I do. The Greek word for unstable literally means “to stagger like a drunk.” But God says there is an antidote to my indecision. Psalm 23:3 says, “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” (NIV). I'll be able to handle the stress of decision-making when I let God guide me. However, I think, “I’ve tried this!” Asking God to guide me, but then I became more confused than I was before. I still couldn’t figure it out. “Why is knowing God’s will so difficult?” Is God playing games with me? Of course not! God wants to guide me. He wants me to know his will more than I want to know it. The problem is I often look for the wrong thing when I'm trying to find God’s will. I'm looking for a feeling. I want to be swept off my feet by some emotion so I can say, “That’s how I know what God’s will is!” I may want a methodical approach to God’s will. I want someone to give me a recipe or a formula to follow. Or perhaps I take a magical approach to God’s will. I'm looking for God to do some fantastic signs like writing it in the sky. All of these ways lead to frustration and cause me to miss God’s will. God’s will is not a feeling, a formula, or something he wants me to be frustrated or fearful about. God does not want me confused, and he does not want me to stress over making any decision. The next time I'm making a big decision, rest in the truth that God will guide me along the right paths—every step of the way. In summary: God guides me along the right paths and provides stability when making decisions. Often, fear and indecision create stress, causing me to feel unstable and confused. However, Psalm 23:3 assures me that God will guide me, even when I feel uncertain. The frustration of seeking God's will stems from looking for feelings, formulas, or signs, but God's guidance isn’t about emotions or magical signs. Instead, it’s about trusting that He will lead me, relieving me of the stress and confusion of decision-making.