Do you think that it's important to involve God in your decisions?

Why do we want direction/help from

God?
He has wisdom and knowledge
Proverbs 2:6 - 9 states, For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge
and understanding Then you will understand what is right and just and fairevery good
path.
James 1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to
all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
but, God's wisdom is not the world's wisdom: 1 Cor 3:18-20

He knows the long view

God sees the whole picturethe past, present, and future of our lives. He teaches and
counsels us as He reveals Himself to us through His Word and Spirit. God has made this
promise to us: I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel
you with My eye upon you (Psalm 32:8-9; cf. Psalm 25:12-13).

He's got our good in mind

Roms 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
First, God blesses those decisions that He initiates and that line up with His Word: I have
taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness (Proverbs 4:1013; see also Psalm 119:33-36). Second, God blesses decisions that accomplish His purpose
and depend on His strength: It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His
good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13; see also Philippians 4:11-13).
Ask for wisdom, trust His promises, and He will guide your path: 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 straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6; see also Isaiah 58:11;).

He's in control

If we believe this, what kind of attitude must we have?

Humble

submissive
There will be times when Gods will may seem undesirable or unpleasant, when our heart
follows our own desires instead of trusting God. But we will eventually learn that Gods will
is always for our benefit (Psalm 119:66-68; Hebrews 12:10-11).

faithful/believing and patient

 James 1:5-7: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and
not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the
wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is
double-minded and unstable in all they do.
We must not forget Gods promise to give His children wisdom when they ask: If any of
you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to him (James 1:5; cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:17). And when we pray for
wisdom, we must trust God to answer our prayer: When he asks, he must believe and not
doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That
man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7). Patience is
important, too, as we wait for Gods timing: After waiting patiently, Abraham received
what was promised (Hebrews 6:15).
God blesses those decisions that result in His glory: Whether you eat or drink or whatever
you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). He blesses decisions that
reflect His character, that promote justice, kindness and humility: He has showed you, O
man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8; see also 1 Corinthians 10:31; 1 Timothy
4:12). And He blesses those decisions that come from faith: Without faith it is impossible
to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He
rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Allow God to take His time in showing you. Trust that He will reveal His will when it is
time. God doesnt always answer or give direction on our time-table. He works His own
plans in His own way. Trust that He has done this enough to know exactly what you need
and when you need it.

1. Acknowledge that God has the answer. God is the source of wisdom for all things. Realize that He
not only has the answer, He is the answer. Proverbs 2:6 and 9 states, For the LORD gives wisdom, and
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding Then you will understand what is right and just
and fairevery good path.

Our attitude towards decision-making should be that of Jesus Himself who affirmed, Not My
will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42; Matthew 6:10).

The process of decision-making includes making a judgment about an attitude or action.

Decisions are an act of the will, and they are always influenced by the mind, the emotions, or
both. The decisions we make actually reflect the desires of our heart (Psalm 119:30). Therefore,
a key question before making a decision is do I choose to please myself, or do I choose to
please the Lord? Joshua set the standard: If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then

choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve But as for me and my household, we will
serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15; cf. Romans 12:2).

Again, the chief key to solid decision-making is knowing Gods will and not following the
desires of our own hearts: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to
death (Proverbs 14:12; cf. Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 21:2). As we put our trust in God, rather
than ourselves, we soon discover what decisions are pleasing to Him.

Sometimes we dont make decisions a spiritual matter or a subject of prayer because we are
afraid of how God will lead. God wants to bless us, but blessings only come through obedience
(Deuteronomy 11:26-29). When you finally make the decision you know is right, then accept
what the Lord has shown you and do what is right in the situation. It may be something difficult
to do, but the promise is that as you obey the Lord, you will have blessings in your life.

2. Pray and ask for Gods wisdom. How can you be sure God will answer when you ask Him? James
1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding
fault, and it will be given to him. So simply ask for
Gods help and then

through His Spirit: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he
will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to
you the things that are to come (John 16:13; see also 1 John 2:20, 27).

3. Believe He will guide you. (James 1:56) Faith is an important component to accepting Gods
wisdom. You must recognize the fact that God wants to communicate with you. Proverbs 4:18 says,
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
Gods direction in your decision will become clearer and more distinct as you continue to pray and ask
for His help.
4. Get in motion. You have probably heard the saying It is hard to steer a parked car. Begin to do
your part and research your vocational options.

The Bible does say there's safety in a multitude of counselors (see Proverbs 11:14). But you
could ask 10 different people about your situation and end up with 10 different answers.
One thing you should ask yourself is, Am I seeking wise counsel? A lot of times, we end up
asking people who don't even know what they're doing. Or they may have a selfish motive.
Keep this in mind: True counseling leads you to God; it doesn't try to run your life.

There are times when a decision is much bigger than we can comprehend. We need others to
help us work through the different aspects of our decision. Having other people at your side to
help counsel you is wise and godly according to Proverbs 15:22 and 24:6. Part of the function
of the church is to support one another. Use the church as God intended: a support network for
Christians.

5. Check your decision against Gods Word. James 3:15-17 provides the characteristics of true godly
wisdom: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,
submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Have the courage to ask yourself
whether your choice meets these qualifications for Gods wisdom, or whether there are still any outside
influences directing your path.

Solid decision-making begins by discerning the will of God. God delights in revealing His will
to those who are eager to follow His precepts (Psalm 33:18; Psalm 35:27; Psalm 147:11).
Psalm 33:18-22
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the LORD;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
even as we put our hope in you.

God reveals His will through His Word: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
(Psalm 119:103-105; see also Psalm 19:7-9; 2 Peter 1:19).

In Gods Word He has given use various ways to know what is right. When God gives a clear
law in the Bible we should obey it. When we are not given a specific law, God gives us various
principles in the Bible to guide us in our decision making.
Does the bible address it directly?
Does the bible address it indirectly?

When there is not a clear command that is to be obeyed, then God has given us principles in His
Word that we should apply. There are many different principles, but I want to highlight a
couple.
Doubt Principle: When you are unsure as to whether an activity is right or wrong, the Doubt
Principle says that you should not do the activity. According to Romans 14:21 and 23 we
should not engage in activities if we are unsure as to whether it is appropriate. In fact, the
Bible goes as far as to say that engaging in an activity when you are not convinced it is the
right thing to do is sin.
Association Principle: We should not associate ourselves with that which is (or may be)
inappropriate. We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to abstain from activities that have the
appearance of evil. What is the dominant association of the activity? If people see you doing

it, will they immediately think you are involved in something inappropriate for a Christian?
If so, then you should not participate.

If we are immersed in God's word, then knowing what He wants should be ingrained in us to a
certain extent.
Deut 6:4-9

Desires of Your Heart

The Bible says to delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4, 5). I
think these verses are often used to say that God will give you anything you want. But notice that verse
4 comes with a condition. If you delight in Him, He will give you your desires. This could be read, He
will give you what you desire, or He will give you the right desires. Ultimately I think these are the
same thing. If you have the desires that He wants you to have, then you will receive what you desire.
The following verse says that if you will then commit that desire to Him, He will bring it to pass.
While there are many decisions that involve a choice between right and wrong, that is not always the
case. There are times when you have to choose between two excellent options. Work through the
previous steps and God will show you the right decision. When it comes down to choosing between
two good choices and God does not give any clear direction, then the final step indicates that you can
choose the one you most desire. Then trust God to bring it to pass. Remember though, that this promise
is to those who are pleasing and right in the sight of God. Otherwise you wont know what the right
choice is.
Spend time in the Bible to know what Gods opinion on various matters is, then trust that He will lead
you into the right path you need to take in your decision.
Proverbs 2
Moral Benefits of Wisdom
2 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding
3 indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.
9 Then you will understand what is right and just
and fairevery good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
11 Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.
12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who have left the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways.
16 Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words,
17 who has left the partner of her youth
and ignored the covenant she made before God.[a]
18 Surely her house leads down to death
and her paths to the spirits of the dead.
19 None who go to her return
or attain the paths of life.
20 Thus you will walk in the ways of the good
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will live in the land,
and the blameless will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
Proverbs 4:1-9
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
4 Listen, my sons, to a fathers instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.

3 For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom.
Though it cost all you have,[b] get understanding.
8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.

James 3:15-17
15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where
you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate,
submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Proverbs 11:14
14 For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.

Psalm 147:10-11
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him,
who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Psalm 119:97-105
Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law!

I meditate on it all day long.

98 Your commands are always with me
and make me wiser than my enemies.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.
101 I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word.
102 I have not departed from your laws,
for you yourself have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.
Nun
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.
Psalm 19:7-9
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the LORD are firm,
and all of them are righteous.