During my most intense years of OCD, scrupulosity, and depression, making even small decisions could be agonizing. How could I make a decision without being absolutely sure it was best? Some decisions I analyzed for days, yet I remained indecisive and worried about the results.
One day in college, my paralysis of analysis was challenged when reading an article that called me to trust in God more than in my ability to make a good decision.
I was convicted of how little I had been trusting God in my decisions, and I began turning my eyes more to Him. I started leaning more on God's love and power to work in my life rather than my ability to make perfect decisions. I realized He could intervene to work things out for my good and His glory even if made a wrong decision - what freedom I found!!!
Though I still struggle at times, my decision-making usually looks something like this:
(1) Gathering the needed information
(2) Praying about it, asking for God's wisdom to know His will
(3) Asking for wise counsel or further information if needed
(4) Making a prayerful, God-honoring decision in a reasonable amount of time -- see note below
(5) Trusting God to intervene if I made a wrong choice
(6) Trusting the results to God rather than worrying about the results.
Solomon wrote of this in Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
I've actually been having trouble deciding if this is ready to post or not. I could stay up all night or wait another week to overanalyze it; or, I could pray, make a responsible decision in a reasonable amount of time, and trust the results to God. So....here it is!
Note:
One way that I sense decision-making may be taking longer than it should is (1) if other areas of my life are being hindered by the time I'm taking to decide, or (2) if I'm not obeying things that God has made clear for me to do. For example, am I neglecting my children's needs because my mind is consumed with analyzing a decision? Am I not listening to my husband well because I am distracted with worry over a decision?
