Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
It's been said we are one decision away from a different life. I want you to think about that—one decision can change our whole course of life. And in our verse today in Proverbs chapter 2 and verse 11, the writer tells us, "Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe."
What is a wise choice? It's knowing what to do in a specific situation. It's having knowledge and applying that knowledge in a specific situation. Let me give you an example. So recently my wife and I, we were given a weather warning. Tornado warning. "Tornado coming your way. Take shelter." I mean, my phone was going off. My wife's phone's going off. We got sirens going off in our neighborhood. But we obeyed that warning.
And because we obeyed that warning, my family was protected. If you and I want the protection of God, we need to walk in the ways of God. If you and I want the protection of God, we need to walk in the ways of God.
The Ways of God
And that raises a question. What are the ways of God? Because we all want protection in our lives. And to answer that question, the ways of God is when you and I make the Bible the standard for our lives. God's Word has to be the standard for our lives. And hear what the writer says. He says "Wise choices will watch over you and understanding will keep you safe."
So as we are making decisions because we want to make wise choices, as we make decisions, we have to ask ourselves: Since the Bible is the standard for our lives, what does God's Word say about my situation? Because this Word is true and this Word gives us the path to wisdom. And when you and I make God's Word the standard for our lives, we walk in wisdom.
Principles for Wise Choices
Now, maybe you're watching this and you're like, "Okay, so I got to make a decision and I'm just not sure which direction to take. You know, like, do I take this job? Do I move here, do I move there? Give me some principles on how to make wise choices." And I want to offer us just a couple of principles.
And the first one is this. It comes from James chapter 1 and verse 5. It says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding any fault, and it will be given to him." And I don't know about you, like there's days where I'm like, "I lack wisdom. I need wisdom." So before making a decision, ask God for wisdom because it says He gives generously to all. That means that wisdom is reserved to those who are in Christ.
Now, after asking God for wisdom, you know Proverbs chapter 11 and verse 14 tells us that there's safety in having many advisors. In other words, okay, what's everybody else saying around you? Am I inviting wise counsel? Am I inviting people that really know me to speak into my life?
And after you've invited counsel and you've prayed about it, and you get to the end of the decision, you're like, "Okay, I still don't know what to do." Let me offer us a word of wisdom: Make a decision. I would encourage you. Don't be paralyzed by indecision, because as long as you're not disobeying the Word of God, you and I have the freedom to choose.
God Goes Before You
And you know, the enemy wants us to believe that we're going to miss the will of God, or we're going to be out of God's will if I go this way or that way. Listen, as believers, the promise of the gospel is this: God goes before us. So as you make decisions, bathe your decision in prayer. Ask God for wisdom. Seek wise counsel and rest in the promise of the gospel that God will go before you.
