Making the Right Decision

Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.  Ephesians 5:15-17 NASB

 There are things that provoke us to make unhealthy (spiritually and  physically) decisions in life.  These may not be bad in themselves but the choice we make in regard to them damages our lives.  Inappropriate sexual behavior, impulse buying, binging on sweets to make yourself feel better, gambling, and many more reasons such as these can cause long term consequences, which can also affect others in our lives.   

So how do you get started working with God, so you can begin making right decisions and showing good judgment?  Here are four keys to point you in the right direction: 

Allow God to be in Control- You'll never make progress in this area as long as you refuse to give up control. It certainly isn't easy, and it certainly doesn't happen overnight.  When we realize God loves us and wants the best for us, it is easy to open your hands in surrender. We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. Proverbs 16 (NLT) 

Read Your Bible-The only way you're going to get to know God and his character is to study his Word. It won't take long before you're able to judge situations and circumstances with a new view. Decisions are easier because you already know in advance the direction you want your life to take.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) 

Learn From Others-There is no reason to learn every lesson yourself when you have perfectly good examples right in front of you. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we often counsel one another from what we've learned through our mistakes. Take advantage of this counsel and learn from the mistakes of others so your own learning curve is not so steep. You'll be very glad you don't have to go through every mistake as you learn from observing and listening to others. But trust me, you'll still make plenty of your own mistakes. You can take comfort in knowing that one day your mistakes may serve to help someone else.
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV)
God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (NLT) 

Never Give Up- Be glad about your progress. Let yourself off the hook. You didn't start showing poor judgment overnight and you won't always show good judgment now, just because you want to. Just be happy you're making progress and you're seeing your life improve. Little by little as you gain wisdom from God's Word, you'll begin to see the results reflected in your decisions.
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)

It takes time to develop good judgment, but once you make the commitment to move forward in this area, you're halfway there. Working with God is continuous, but it is worth the effort.