This week I got decision fatigue.  Every time I turned around there was a business decision to make.  (Mind you, I only have a small, home-based business). Some of my readers find it easier to make decisions than I do.  I over-think, over-research, waffle, make a decision, second guess it, waffle, give up.  I can’t make up my mind!  So I’ve been considering how to become a better decision-maker.  I came up with these thoughts.

Questions to ask myself when making a decision:

How will my decision affect my relationships with those I’m responsible for this week?  This month?  This year?
Will I have the time to love my family and others if I decide either way?
Could/would my decision harm others?
Is there a moral issue at stake?
What are my motives?
Am I being influenced by personal preference, prejudice, or peer pressure?
Am I choosing the easy way/path of least resistance?
Am I choosing selfishly based on which way I’d look better in the eyes of others?  Or which would promote my interests better?  Or which would prove me right?

 When faced with uncertainty, I remind myself that some principles/truths never change.  I always need to please God first.  All my decisions have to be in line with his guidelines.  Loving him and loving others are my priorities.
“Pursue right living, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. . . And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus . . . that you obey this command without wavering.” 1 Timothy 6:11,13-14

What not to do when I’m confused about what to do:

Throw up my hands in frustration and not make a decision at all.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

Make a selflsh decision.
“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Philippians 2:4

Make a spur-of-the-moment decision based on feelings. 
“Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good;  haste makes mistakes.”  Proverbs 19:2

React to circumstances instead of trusting God to bring the right outcome.
“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”  Psalm 37:7

Make a decision and then second guess it and become immobilized.  
 “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.  But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.  Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.  Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”  James 1:5-8

Make my decision and then argue with others about their decision. 
“This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions.  Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.“ 1 Timothy 6:4, 20

Hope somebody will make the decision for me by allowing others to push me into a decision.
“You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.”  2 Corinthians 11:20

Try to force others to make the same decision I made.
“. . .  But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”  1 Corinthians 1:23-24

Be too proud or embarrassed to ask for advice.
“Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.”  Proverbs 19:20

Ask advice from the wrong people
“But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.”  2 Chronicles 10:8. (This led to his downfall)

Assume God can’t be bothered with the details of my life.  Surely God is above my minutia.
“O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You go before me and follow me.”  Psalm 139:1-5

Think God doesn’t care.  I can do whatever I please without consequences.
“But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”  Jeremiah 17:10

Want to know the entire plan before starting.  Not being willing to take one step at a time.
‘The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”  Proverbs 20:24

Deciding based solely on money or personal advantage.
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”  Matthew 6:31-33

Make decisions, then assume everything will go according to my plan.
 “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.”  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”  Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.”  James 4:13-16

PS. Here’s a hack I stumbled upon this week.  (Yep, I do a lot of stumbling!). Making decisions about less weighty things and following thru with them gives me quick gratification and a feeling of success in making decisions.   My closet and freezer were doable and I could see a good outcome quickly.  Feeling this confidence is helping me tackle bigger decisions.

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