From my 2012 Journal. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure this out, but once I did, following these protocols for making a decision has saved me a bucket load of embarrassment and regret.
- When faced with a double-bind, work through your feelings about each side individually, one at a time. Once you feel at peace no matter which side you choose, your solution will be much clearer to your rational mind. Emotions cloud your ability to choose wisely. (If you need help working through your feelings, give me a call!)
Example: If I choose Option A (accept a new job offer), I’ll feel some fear. If I choose Option B (stay with my present job), I’ll feel some regret.
- Want to know God’s will? Make no decision to move forward until you’re at peace about it first. Then you’ll be able to hear God’s voice more clearly.
Example: A classmate of mine in college felt great angst about his passion to become a missionary pilot. Somewhere he’d bought into the lie that God would never give him the desires of his heart; he was afraid that God was just testing him. It seemed obvious to me that it was God who had given him the passion in the first place, and I told him so, but I didn’t know then how to help him work through his emotions.
- Never confront someone, write a letter, or send an email or text while you’re triggered. You’ll say stupid things you’ll regret, and the cleanup from the mess you create will be harder and take longer. Always come to peace in your heart first, and then say what you have to say. (I’m speaking from experience here, folks.)
Example: I doubt if you need one. We’ve all done it!
In the Pursuit of Peace 
You always provoke thought…that’s why I look forward to your posts each week. This one stood out to me because I believe our first place to find help in some of our major decisions will be “someone” with skin. There is no problem with seeking our wise counsel, but it shouldn’t be our first place to go. I did a little study on Proverbs 15:22 and found this:
https://biblehub.com/proverbs/15-22.htm
Too lengthy to post here but was interesting how the many different translations sought to explain that verse.
My way of handling some major decisions is being treated a little differently in recent days/weeks/months. The COVID issue has cause many of us to self-isolate ourselves for most of 2020. For me, the isolation hasn’t created any thing out of the ordinary as I have lived life alone since 2009. I have as much of a social life as I care to have, and will seek out people when I feel the need to socialize. God provides in ways I never even “think” to ask, which astounds me beyond comprehension. He really does attend to all our needs, and then some as a hug to let us know He is there when we think he may be on “break”.
This time we are in is a test of my ability to really “trust Him with this” and put into shoe leather what we have all said, sung and told others to do when giving “counsel” to someone going through a trial…even if you are the only standing. Trials reveal our trust. I want to be counted as one who measured up.
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