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Better Decisions!
(Continued from page 9)
was good at and wanted to do. She
pursued tbe training she needed
and today happily serves both her
fami1y and her corrimunity, provid–
ing floral designs to customers
from her home.
· She is my wife!
Louis Jones, if he eva1uates his
situation, may learn that he has
underestimated his talents and is
capable of doing more challenging
work. Perhaps he will realize that
he has just been waiting for some–
thing to drop from the sky and
change his circumstances, without
much effort on his part. Successful
people create their own opportuni–
ties! Maybe Louis will conclude
that he has simply been afraid to
change- his situation, though not
the best he could create if he tried,
has grown comfortable. Maybe he
procrastinates.
King David of ancient Israel
prayed to God: " Who can under–
stand his er rors? Cleanse me from
secret faults" (Ps. 19: 12). He ad–
mitted be cou1d be wrong. We
should do the same- and then be
willing to change when God shows
us errors in our thinking.
•
Get wise counsel.
"Where
there is no counsel, the peop1e
fall, " intimates Proverbs 11 :14,
"but in the multitude of counselors
t here is safety." Learning all you
can about the factors affecting a
decision includes talking to people
who have sound understanding and
accurate information.
Louis's buddy- the one with
whom he occasionally has a
d r ink- may not be the best author–
ity on the employment situation in
other areas of the country. Louis
might do far better to check with
chambers of commerce, govern–
ment reports, state employment de–
partments and people living in the
area who have firsthand experienée
in his fie1d (such as trade unions) .
He should a1so talk to people who
really know him well.
The wisest counsel of all, of
course, comes from God (Jas. 1:5).
Louis should study the Bib1e to see
what God says about his situation
and, about the kind of work he is
seeking. You' 11 be amazed how of–
ten the Bible offers pointed advice
February 1986
applying to the exact issues you are
trying to decide.
•
Don't rush into anything.
Have
you ever been pressured by a sales–
person into buying something? A
sales technique is to make you think
you must purchase now because the
deal won't be available later.
That may be true in sorne cases,
but more often than not the same
ítem will be for sale later. The best
strategy is to "sleep on it," as the
old saying goes. Don't leap into
something-a purchase or any
other decision-without having a
chance to think about it first.
Maybe our friend Louis, after he
has followed all the previous steps,
should just wait a few days-or a
few weeks. 1t never pays lo make
hasty decisions. Other consider–
ations may come to his attention
that he still hadn't thought of be–
fore. He should certainly talk the
problem out completely with his
family.
On the other hand, perhaps
Louis tends to put off action.
Maybe he Jets life blow him where
it will. I n that case, he needs to
take the following step sooner.
•
Make a definite decision.
Once
you have followed the previous
steps, you can confidently arrive at
a definite course of action. You can
make the choice. You' ve asked
God for. wisdom. You've checked
all the facts and looked at the prob–
Jem from every angle. You ' ve
talked to authorities and you know
you're not just making a snap judg–
ment. Now you- and Louis--can
make a firm commitment.
•
Stick
to
your decision .
An–
other Jaw of success is persever–
ance. Once you've made your de–
cision, stand by it and work
diligen.tly for the desired end. If
you have acted in accord with
God's laws and followed all the
other steps, you can have faith in
the decision. God will help things
work out for your good!
Whichever course of action
Louis decides upon, if he has em–
ployed all the other principies, he
can expect God to fulfill the
promise of Psalm 37:4-5: " Delight
yourself also in the Lord, and He
shall give you the desires of your
heart. Commit your way to the
Lord, trust also in Him, and He
shall bring it to pass."
By determining to put into prac–
tice God's laws as they app1y to any
situatior'i, you have actually made
God your partner! He bimself will
see that your endeavor succeeds.
Trus t your decision. T rust God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 promises: "Trust in
the Lord with all your heart , and
lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths."
Every day you face major and
minor decisions. Perhaps right now
you are even struggling with gigan–
tic decisions that will affect the
entire course of the rest of your
life: whether to propose or accept a
proposal for marriage, wbether to
start a business of your own,
whether to move across your coun–
try or even to another country,
whether to join a certain faith and
alter your basic beliefs.
By relying on God and applying
the steps in this article, you can
make sound decisions- this time
and every time in the future.
o
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