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The Bible's Wisdom on How to Make Decisions

Not far from where I live in downtown Kansas City, there’s an area of town called the Crossroads. Different pieces of the area’s history all worked together to help name it. One way the Crossroads area lives up to its name even today is the fact that it is a unique conglomeration of restaurants, shops, art galleries and performance stages. From opera shows to BBQ joints, from hip coffee shops to handcrafted jewelry boutiques, all sorts of paths cross in the Crossroads of Kansas City. The Oxford dictionary tells me that the word “crossroads” means “an intersection of two or more roads,” and a sub-point under the main definition says a crossroads is “a point at which a crucial decision must be made that will have far-reaching consequences.” 

I’m sure you’ve heard the word used in reference to facing a historic crossroads of some sort, maybe in the course of a war, societal development, an election, or even the human condition. If you’re standing at a crossroads in your own personal life, it’s likely a time of decision. You probably have at least two, maybe more, paths to choose between. Sometimes, deciding which path to pursue might be easy and obvious. Other times, and perhaps more often, it’s not. Who or what do you look to for help with making those crucial crossroads decisions? Ernest Hemingway said, “We have to get used to the idea that at the most important crossroads in our life there are no signs.” I beg to differ from Mr. Hemingway, and I’d like to show you in Scripture a four-step plan that can help you make the right decision.

This verse from Jeremiah is one of those that makes me just stop, place my hand over my heart, close my eyes, and take a deep breath of gratitude. I’m so thankful for the beautiful and incredible guidance the Bible provides!

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” -Jeremiah 6:16

To provide some brief context, this chapter in Jeremiah is full of words from the prophet Jeremiah who is foreseeing Jerusalem being attacked by Babylon. He knew the people would be standing at a crossroads and trying to figure out what to do. While the crossroads we face in our personal lives typically don’t involve military attacks, the instructions Jeremiah gave apply to us still the same. 

  1. STAND. The first instruction we find in this verse is simply to stand! Does standing involve motion when you visualize it in your head? It doesn’t for me. If I’m just standing, my feet are stuck in one place. When you are facing a crossroads, are you remembering to take a moment to stand still? Or are you frantically running around like a chicken with its head cut off—going from person to person, or from Google search to Google search to get different opinions about what to do? Maybe your mind is a big, jumbled mess, with your thoughts running wild in every direction. A first step you can take is to quiet yourself and be still. Just stand. If it helps, turn off your devices, maybe even turn off the lights, close your eyes, and sit in a quiet place in your home for a bit. Set a 10- or 15-minute timer! Breathe slowly, and think about God’s goodness and faithfulness. Find a way that works for you to STAND.
  2. LOOK. Jeremiah’s next direction is to look! Open your eyes, and look around. Perhaps you’ve been so overrun with stress, anxiety or confusion that you’ve been forgetting to see what’s around you. The answer might be right there in front of you! Even if it’s not, it’s important to look around and take stock of the crossroads you’re facing. Make observations. Think or journal about what you’re noticing. Increase your awareness of each detail, each component, and each viewpoint that your looming decision involves. 
  3. ASK. Okay, this is my absolute favorite part of this verse. In the NIV, this part of the verse reads, “Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is.” Other versions of the Bible instruct us to ask for the old paths, the eternal paths, the old, reliable paths, the way that leads to blessings, the godly paths you used to walk in, and the tried-and-true road. Don’t those sound like roads you want to take? The footnote in my Bible says that “ancient paths” refer to the “tried and true ways of Judah’s godly ancestors.” As children of God, if we think about our own godly ancestors and their old, reliable, eternal paths, we know that an instruction like this one is telling us to look to God’s Word. Ask about the pathway He lays out for us throughout Scripture. The Bible is full of wisdom, counsel, encouragement, conviction, guidance and comfort. Let God’s Holy Words be the words you ask for when you’re in need of information and advice before making a big decision. Ask God to reveal Himself and His will for you through His word. When you ask Him a question and listen for His voice, you can expect Him to answer you.
  4. WALK. The last directive in Jeremiah 6:16 tells us to walk. Make the decision and move forward in trust and faith. Many promises in Scripture are contingent upon our forward movement! For example, Proverbs 3:5-6 says that if you trust in God and acknowledge Him, He will “direct your paths.” As I heard someone say once, it’s easier for God to steer a person who’s moving than a person parked in indecision. Make a move, and He will direct you. Walk forward with your eyes on Jesus.

And you know what? No matter which way you turn, He will be with you—even if you make a choice that you realize later was not actually the perfect one. I love the promise at the end of this verse that says, “and you will find rest for your souls.” You know what that says to me? If I stop, look to God’s unchanging Word, and step out in faith with my eyes fixed on Him, He will meet me there. He will bring rest to my soul. As The Message version of the Bible puts it, you will “discover the right route for your souls.” God will continue to walk with us, step by step, and He will lead us to where we need to be. In a busy, constantly moving world, REST feels like the best promise, doesn’t it? Not just any kind of rest, though, rest for our souls. A deep and peaceful rest. Who would’ve thought that standing at an uncertain crossroads could start us down a path toward rest from God? No matter what big or small decision you’re facing today, know that God’s presence stays with you always. If you’re seeking His guidance and direction, He will not abandon you. 

Come near to God, and he will come near to you. -James 4:8a