What do you think the difference is between people that seem really fulfilled in life verses the rest of the world that struggle relationally or financially or different ways. Ill explain to you what it isn’t, it isn’t their intelligence, it isn’t their talent and how they look. We’ve seen smart people who do dumb things and beautiful people who can’t keep a healthy relationship, right?
Decisions. The quality of your decisions determines the quality of your life. You make decisions and eventually your known by how you have decided. The problem is, we’re not the best decision makers. We want to make resolutions to do better and they fade away. We decide to ear right and then we don’t. We decide to build healthy relationships and then we hide in front of the TV. We want to be wise with our money but then like a dog chasing a squirrel get distracted by the 10% off sale.
Science shows that we make about 35,000 decisions a day. That’s a lot. And we get overwhelmed with choices. From the second you wake up, look at this, scroll past that, drive here, look at that, and our ability to make healthy decisions starts to tire. Neuroscientists call this decision fatigue. That’s how you can make great and calculated decisions at your job and come home to eat a tub of ice cream watching walking dead or something. The quality of your decisions starts to decrease as the number you have to make in the moment increases. So we are overwhelmed and many of us are afraid to make the wrong choices. And so indecision becomes our decision for many of us.
Many relationships need good healthy decision making to grow. Many are so scared to be wrong or fail that they decide to do nothing and the relationship slowly dwindles. Can you relate? When we’re here we’re letting our emotions overrule was rational. That end up hurting us or the ones we love the most. Whatever you do, don’t make permanent decisions based of temporary emotions. Don’t do things that will impact you for years to come based on the emotion you feel in the moment.
So how do we do better? Pre-determine what you are going to ahead of time. Proverbs 16:3 says Whatever you do, commit it to the Lord and He will establish your plans. When we predetermine to seek His kingdom and his righteousness, any decision that pulls me away from what I predetermined isn’t a decision I have to think about or that will fatigue me. An example if you struggle with finances and impulse decisions, predetermine if you see something you feel you need, wait 3 days and pray about it before buying it. Predetermine you will do this. Predecide when you begin to worry about what to do, predetermine you are going to get alone for 5 minutes and ask God for wisdom on what to do. Predetermine not to stress but to pray and give it to God. We predetermine what to do in those moments. Abraham predetermined that His God was always trustworthy and anything he was asked to do he would do. So when it came time to sacrifice his own son he wasn’t biting his nails wondering what to do. Ruth made a predetermination to stay with Naomi wherever she went. Her people would be her people and her God would be her God.
Daniel predetermined or scripture says Daniel “resolved” not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. He didn’t wait until he got to the dining room to make the decision so when it came time to choose, it was easy and he wasn’t fatigued.
Here’s a question, if your life is moving in the direction of your decisions, are you liking the direction you are heading? What would you change? What do you need to predetermine to start taking your life back? Its time to determine to do something different. Predetermine I won’t wait and make a decision on how im feeling, but on the values I’ve predetermined to live by. Predetermine that you are Victorious. Predetermine you are a man or woman of God. Predetermine your life will reflect Christ. Predetermine to love your spouse how you should no matter how they respond back. Predetermine you are a finisher and a champion. Predetermine you are generous.Predetermine you are consistent.
And one day when you’re tired and overwhelmed or angry, maybe discouraged or facing depression, how you respond won’t be based on what you feel in the moment, but what you’ve predetermined to be.
That is awesome, thank you!!