Personal Leadership with Christine Caine and Propel WomenSample

Your Decision-Making Matters to God

From morning to night, we are faced with an almost constant stream of decisions to make. Some are minor, but many are not.  As leaders, we must continually remember that the decisions we make with our time, reactions, talents, and resources affect our own lives and the welfare of others.   

But it’s not just the outcomes of our decisions that matter; how we make our decisions matters to God. The world calls us to rely on popularity, polling and cultural expectations. As Christians, our decisions start and end with God.  We are called to participate in His will through humble obedience and seeking His will above all else.  Luke 14:28 says, “Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it?” Counting the cost applies to all circumstances we may find ourselves in, from dating to starting a new company to shepherding hearts. His timeless principles lead us to live as disciples of Jesus guiding us to “count the cost” and then choose well, whether steering a company, starting a new project or shepherding hearts.

So what leads to God-ordained, Holy Spirit-led decisions?  We listen to what the Lord says by first going to Him in prayer, reading His Word, and praising Him through worship.  While seeking His wisdom and guidance, we can search out wise counsel from a trusted few.  Proverbs 14:11 says, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”  Whether friend, mentor, pastor or professional counselor, when we are unsure about a choice, trusted, godly advisors can speak into our lives and help us test whether our motives and plans are truly aligned with the Word of God.   

Once God reveals what He wants for us, we must obey and act. This often requires courage.  Sometimes people become paralyzed from fear that they have misunderstood God and will accidentally move out of His will!  If this happens, remember that God is big.  If you have sought His wisdom and made your decision through prayer, in agreement with His Word, in thankful worship, and, when needed, with wise counsel, start moving ahead with bold faith and trust and that God will keep you in the right direction.  

Reflect: Can you think of a time when fear or indecision crippled your decision-making process? In what ways can you act with courage when the circumstances require it? 

Adapted from Personal Leadership Conversation Series by Propel Women. Reprinted with permission of Propel Women Women. All rights reserved.