Devotional for Decision Making

On a daily basis, we are bombarded with decisions. What to wear, what to eat, how to act, what to do, who to interact with, etc. And that doesn't even include the plethora of decisions we make pertaining to our electronic devices!

The topics of self-control, willpower, and decision-making have been a source of discussion among researchers, psychologists, and therapists at an ever-increasing rate. As with most things in our society currently, the question is "How can we get more?" - self-control and willpower in this case.

What has come to be believed is that we have a self-control/willpower tank, if you will, that gets depleted throughout the day. The more decisions you make that require self-control, the more the tank depletes. For one, this is why it's way harder to avoid junk food and dessert at the end of the day.

It has been found that the more we reduce unnecessary decisions in our daily life, the easier it is to maintain self-control and willpower for decisions that are more important.

Because we all run out of willpower. We all make dumb, tired, selfish decisions sometimes. That doesn’t make you a failure; it makes you human with a limited tank. The good news? Jesus never ran out of perfect decision-making. He made every choice for us on the cross. Now His Spirit lives in us, renewing our minds and refilling our tank when we come to Him honestly and ask for wisdom.

Paul gives us a good template when making decisions, as he states in 1 Corinthians 10:23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

We would go a long way in life if we kept that verse in mind when making decisions. Is this beneficial? Is this constructive? If the answer to either question is no, we would be wise to avoid that situation.

That sounds so cut and dry and simple, doesn't it?! But simple doesn't always mean easy.

Now, how about the decision to follow Jesus? That is a much larger decision than 'Should I answer my notification during an office meeting?'. (No, you shouldn't by the way!)

The bible is riddled with accounts of people unsure of which god to follow, our Heavenly Father or other gods of the time. This is also true today. We can't follow two Gods - our Lord and ________.

In marriage and family life, wise decision-making looks like:

Praying together before big (or small) decisions instead of deciding alone
Asking, ‘Will this choice honor my spouse and kids in 10 years?’
Choosing to put the phone down and be present instead of one more scroll
Saying no to good things so you can say yes to God’s best for your family
When you’re exhausted and willpower is gone, defaulting to ‘What would love do right now?’

Take the time to read the scriptures below and truly focus on what they are saying to you. Some passages may touch you differently than others. Writing down the verses in your own hand is helpful for some individuals. Possibly looking up the verses in your Bible may be beneficial. I use a NIV bible translation. Or reading them over and over to commit to memory. Whatever method works best for you to experience God’s words and feel closer to Him.

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding:in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Joshua 24:14-15

"Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the god your forefathers served beyond the River, or the god of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Philippians 1:9-10

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

1 Kings 18:21

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God follow him."

Hebrews 11:24-26

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

Here’s a short prayer if you’re struggling to find the words:

Father, I’m decision-weary and my tank is empty. I’ve made selfish and foolish choices today. Thank You that Jesus made every decision perfectly for me. Renew my mind right now. Give my spouse and me wisdom for the decisions in front of us today—big and small. When we don’t know what to do, help us default to love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Try one of these today:

Before the next decision (even tiny), pause and ask out loud, ‘Is this beneficial? Is this constructive?’ (1 Cor 10:23)
Make one decision today together as a couple—prayerfully and out loud.
When you feel decision fatigue rising, stop, breathe, and pray James 1:5 together: ‘Lord, give us wisdom.’

I pray that this post and the above scriptures move you in your decision-making today and in all your days to come.

God bless!

Melissa