There I was, fretting like a silly girl over another answered prayer. Yes, you read that right. I’d prayed for months about finding a job. When the offer finally came I began to tailspin out of control, second guessing whether or not the position was truly right for me. “Is this from God or is this a trap,” I questioned. What if it’s not a good fit after all, then what? Will I be miserable and stuck? Am I even qualified?
I’ve lived this scene more times than I can count. I’ve prayed for a position, an opportunity, and even a husband. And each time the prayer was finally answered I experienced a momentary time of panic and second guessing. Some panicky moments for some situations lasted longer than others.
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s wise to discern the nature of opportunities and the hearts of people as they trickle your way. No matter how much you’ve been praying, every door that swings wide open isn’t the one you should walk through, and obviously (single ladies) every man that winks and walks your way isn’t necessarily the missing piece to your marriage puzzle, either.
Lately, I’ve found myself feeling that same ol’ fret again. This year, I prayed to be stretched – to grow as a writer and as a woman – and opportunities continue to come along to accommodate. As I prayerfully consider them, I’m not too sure I know how to determine which ones may be good ones for me.
So how do I find peace in the decision-making process when standing at the threshold of open doors and tempting opportunities? How do I know when something is right for me? Exactly how much should I stress about making the right decision? When should I just close my eyes and jump? All good questions, right?
As I was pondering some of these questions, recently, here is how I believe God answered me:
“Trust me. I know you.” – Psalm 139:1-6
1O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.
“Trust me. I’m always with you and I’ll always protect you.” – Psalm 139:7-12
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
“Trust me. I created you and I know what’s best for you.” – Psalm 139:13-16
13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.
“Trust me. I’ll direct the steps you take.” – Proverbs 3:5, 6
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
“Trust me. You can do anything with my help.” – Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
This week, pay close attention to the decisions you are facing and how you handle them. Are you a swift, confident decision maker or do you tend to over-think, in a desperate attempt to discern and make the right choice? What steps do you take to make decisions and then trust the decision you made?
Coming up next: I’d love to tell you that my meticulous (read ANAL 🙂) decision making tendencies are rooted in my desire to do what pleases God. While that is certainly part of it, there’s a little more to the story. In the next post, I’ll share my confession and elaborate a bit more on how the scriptures above are teaching me to close my eyes and jump a bit more often.
Hi Monica (: Thanks for this great post. I am the Queen of overthinking and am at a point in my life where so many big decisions are having to be made that it is becoming a bit overwhelming. Decision making is scary because I always want to choose what is best for everybody and not what is best for me, which down road is not always good. But the scriptures you posted and wisdom you shared is very helpful. I’ll be keeping it all in mind and in prayer, and hopefully I’ll be able to close my eyes and jump forward confidently soon.
Courtney, you are certainly not alone in your tendency to over-think. You make a good point, though. Often we are thinking more about what’s best for others and not the best decision for us, and that can be bad down the road. We’ll continue to grow together in our decision making, how about that? 🙂