A Verse for When… You Can’t Make a Decision
So often in this 21st Century, we have a plethora of options to choose from. When you’re at Chipotle or Yogurtini, you have an entire buffet-style line of ingredients and toppings to select from while customizing your order. When it’s time to buy a new car, you probably go to a car lot that’s full of vehicles of all colors, shapes and sizes. Even when you decided what church was the best fit for you, you may have used Google reviews or recommendations from friends to research many different congregations in your area before deciding which one felt right. Need a yellow sweatshirt? If you type “yellow sweatshirt” into the search bar on Amazon, you’ll have numerous pages full of different yellow sweatshirts to choose from. Trying to decide on the perfect Airbnb to book for your trip to New York City? You could scroll endlessly through listings. One might be the perfect location, another might be the perfect aesthetic, and another might be the perfect price.
Sometimes options are wonderful! But other times, they can be crippling. Have you ever wished you actually didn’t have so many options to choose from? There are days when I’d almost prefer to have less say about certain things. When I have lots of options, I can get lost in the world of overthinking. I can make extensive pros and cons lists, seek advice from people I trust, and read a balanced array of online reviews, and all of that can lead me to a place where I’m just overanalyzing the choice I need to make. If there’s no clear decision that seems right (or no clear decision that seems wrong), I often get paralyzed with indecision.
This even happens when I’m seeking God’s direction through prayer before making a decision! Last summer, I was presented with an incredible opportunity to be part of an amazing fellowship program in my community. For a variety of reasons, I was really wavering on whether or not it was the right time for me to accept my place in the program. I went back and forth mentally, carefully weighing both sides of the decision. I prayed about it, and I sent emails with questions. But guess what? When I got the answers to those questions, it just put my brain into more of a tailspin. I was going back and forth and back and forth, and I couldn’t decide what to do.
A verse I’ve always loved provides some much needed peace of mind in times like this. It says:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” -Isaiah 30:21
What does that verse mean to you? To me, I hear God saying: No matter which choice you make, I’ll still be right there with you. If you turn to the right or to the left, as long as you stay close to Me, you can still hear My voice guiding and directing you. Does that bring you comfort and peace? It sure does for me. If I choose to accept the fellowship, God will be with me. And if I choose not to? He’ll still be with me then, too—guiding me, moving me forward, showing me which steps to take.
The only thing that seems somewhat up in the air is whether or not I stay close enough to God to be able to hear His voice. The verse says, “your ears will hear a voice behind you.” I don’t want to get out too far ahead where I can’t hear God’s voice anymore. If I bulldoze forward on my own, perhaps without stopping to check in with the Holy Spirit, I might enter a space where it’s all ME! My thoughts, my ideas, my control. And while that sounds ideal, it’s not. My vision, knowledge and decision-making skills are only human. God, on the other hand, is all-knowing! He can see my entire life story in a way I can’t. He sees and orchestrates threads weaving together in my life in a way that my finite self cannot. So I must stick with Him—close enough to be able to hear His voice behind me saying, This is the way; walk in it.
So the next time you’re paralyzed in fear about whether or not you’re making the right decision, remember these two things:
- Stay close to God. Imagine Him standing right behind you, whispering into your ear. Are you close enough to be able to hear what He’s saying to you? Are you spending time in prayer? reading Scripture? fellowshipping with other believers? worshiping? listening carefully for His voice? Don’t get too far out in front. That’s the danger zone! Stay safe with the reach of God’s whisper.
- Relax. No matter which choice you make, God will be right there with you. His voice will still be speaking into your ear, telling you what to do. He won’t abandon you if you turn left when He wishes you had turned right. If your decision turns out to be not so great, God will be there to keep your feet on steady ground, and He’ll guide you to what and where He knows is best for you. You will learn things about Him and yourself along the way, and He will work everything out for good (Romans 8:28).
Walk forward in confidence today! No matter what choice you make, big or small, right or left, you will hear a voice behind you, saying, This is the way; walk in it.