Tough choices, important lessons
By Charles Christian
When it comes to hard choices, we hold our breath, say a prayer and do the best we can.
The hard part is that we can’t always know how those choices will turn out, and sometimes we are unpleasantly surprised at the results. The good news is that this happens to virtually everyone. We have all chosen a job or a vehicle or something even more significant that we look back on with regret.
The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God, who gives to all people freely without condemnation; and it will be given” (James 1:5).
The challenge is that we are not always completely aware of the exact wisdom we are being given, nor are we always aware of whether the wisdom we are seeking is just our personal preferences in disguise. Even if we are fairly certain that we are receiving the proper wisdom needed to make decisions, circumstances can change, leaving us with outcomes that are different from what we initially hoped for or expected.
So, what can we do?
First, we can surround ourselves with wise people whom we trust to help us in the process of discernment. The wise people around us are not perfect, either, of course. However, some of the wisest people we know are those who have likely made some mistakes and then learned from those mistakes and are now willing to pass along what they learned. These people can be good sounding boards, both about the process we are using to make decisions and the ramifications of the decisions we are making.
Second, we can learn from past and present mistakes. The old saying rings true at this point: “It is no crime to fail. It is a pity not to learn from failure.” We all make mistakes. We have all made bad decisions. The question becomes: Will we evaluate and learn in ways that can help us with future decisions?
Finally, we can accumulate wisdom along the way. Even in the middle of circumstances that are less than ideal, we can often learn something. In fact, in many cases, we can find things to actually appreciate and enjoy, even if we are not in our ideal setting because of decisions we have made. Finding the blessing in the middle of difficulty is a sign of maturity, especially when it comes to faith (the Bible is full of examples of people who have done this).
We are faced with big and small decisions every day. We cannot always hesitate for too long if we are to make the most of the opportunities we are given. However, we can pause long enough to genuinely pray, seek helpful wisdom and adjust as needed.
