Daily Devotionals
Friday, April 19, 2024 (Ashley)
A friend and I were recently chatting about decisions. They can feel so daunting, can’t they? “Should I do this or that? What if I do that and this happens? What if I don’t do this, and that happens?” Round and round our minds go, only spiraling us further and further from landing on a confident answer. 
As I prayerfully considered this topic on my evening walk, I came to a fork in the road with nothing but this road sign in front of me. And just like that, it was clear as day when I heard that small voice inside say, “We overcomplicate things!” Just as the sign on the road, simply caused me to stop and make a decision to turn right or to turn left, decisions in our lives are quite similar, aren't they?
I’m going to break this into three simple steps that I hope will be helpful when considering how to make solid decisions.
Step 1 – Proactive Prayer Habits.
Every morning since I graduated college and was unsure of the daily decisions ahead of me, I have prayed a prayer that goes something like this; “Give me eyes that see, ears that listen, and a heart that is open to seeing the lies of the enemy, to seeing my own sin, and shine a bright light down the path you want me to go down. Because when I move towards the plans you have for me, only then can I move forward with boldness, confidence, and bravery.” I have no way to measure it, but I am certain that starting my day with this prayer alone, has provided me with a level of comfort and ease that drastically changed the way I make daily decisions. I know this because I don’t fret over many decisions anymore. I have asked the Lord to guide me and I trust that His Holy Spirit is in me, making straight my paths. Proactive prayer habits are a great way to deal with the day-to-day decisions that either keep you on the Lord's path for your life or lead you off the trail, struggling to make your own.
Step 2 – Humble Reaction for Help.
What about when bigger decisions arise? Decisions that hold substantial weight one way or the other? This seems like a no-brainer but I know I’m not alone with the countless times I have tried to fix the problem on my own before going to God. We must bring our burdens to the Lord and humbly ask him for help. The answer may not be heard clearly or come quickly but he does hear our cries and answers in his own time and way. 1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Step 3 – Refer to the Scriptures for Guidance.
Our current study, “Good Boundaries and Goodbyes” by Lisa Terkeust has us digging into Ephesians 5:15-16 for our homework this week. “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Lisa writes, “Friend, we serve a God who purposes to give us new hearts, so we can live wisely and respond to situations with wisdom and grace.”
I don’t know about you but one practical way I can live out the warning from Ephesians 5:15-16 above is to be less worldly and more Godly! This looks like worrying less about what people and the world think of my decisions and leaning more toward what God wants for my life, trusting that His plan is truly good.
I hope this was helpful and that you will be able to make confident decisions with comfort and ease from the Lord today!
Ashley
As I prayerfully considered this topic on my evening walk, I came to a fork in the road with nothing but this road sign in front of me. And just like that, it was clear as day when I heard that small voice inside say, “We overcomplicate things!” Just as the sign on the road, simply caused me to stop and make a decision to turn right or to turn left, decisions in our lives are quite similar, aren't they?
I’m going to break this into three simple steps that I hope will be helpful when considering how to make solid decisions.
Step 1 – Proactive Prayer Habits.
Every morning since I graduated college and was unsure of the daily decisions ahead of me, I have prayed a prayer that goes something like this; “Give me eyes that see, ears that listen, and a heart that is open to seeing the lies of the enemy, to seeing my own sin, and shine a bright light down the path you want me to go down. Because when I move towards the plans you have for me, only then can I move forward with boldness, confidence, and bravery.” I have no way to measure it, but I am certain that starting my day with this prayer alone, has provided me with a level of comfort and ease that drastically changed the way I make daily decisions. I know this because I don’t fret over many decisions anymore. I have asked the Lord to guide me and I trust that His Holy Spirit is in me, making straight my paths. Proactive prayer habits are a great way to deal with the day-to-day decisions that either keep you on the Lord's path for your life or lead you off the trail, struggling to make your own.
Step 2 – Humble Reaction for Help.
What about when bigger decisions arise? Decisions that hold substantial weight one way or the other? This seems like a no-brainer but I know I’m not alone with the countless times I have tried to fix the problem on my own before going to God. We must bring our burdens to the Lord and humbly ask him for help. The answer may not be heard clearly or come quickly but he does hear our cries and answers in his own time and way. 1 Peter 5:7 “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”
Step 3 – Refer to the Scriptures for Guidance.
Our current study, “Good Boundaries and Goodbyes” by Lisa Terkeust has us digging into Ephesians 5:15-16 for our homework this week. “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.” Lisa writes, “Friend, we serve a God who purposes to give us new hearts, so we can live wisely and respond to situations with wisdom and grace.”
I don’t know about you but one practical way I can live out the warning from Ephesians 5:15-16 above is to be less worldly and more Godly! This looks like worrying less about what people and the world think of my decisions and leaning more toward what God wants for my life, trusting that His plan is truly good.
I hope this was helpful and that you will be able to make confident decisions with comfort and ease from the Lord today!
Ashley
