Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

 

Every day we have to make decisions that not only affect us, but that affect our loved ones. I think it's very difficult to make decisions for our loved ones. Decisions are a huge part of the caregiver's every day life, though. We can't just ignore things and hope they work out. We have to consider all sides, maybe do some research, and then make the best decision we can with the information we have.

All through the Bible, heroes emerge who had to make decisions. And many times, it's their decisions that make them our heroes. David chose to take on Goliath and trusted God for the victory. Joseph chose to fight off temptation and ended up in prison because of it. Daniel chose to pray even when it became against the king's law to do so. He ended up in a den of hungry lions made powerless by the hand of God. Nehemiah chose to keep building the wall around beloved Jerusalem, even though he was being fought tooth and nail. (There's an old saying for you!) Rahab (the believer) chose to deflect to God's side, even though she was an unlikely candidate for faith.

In our own ways, maybe we can relate to some of these heroes, and maybe you have a few favorites of your own. They all had choices and they all chose God over their circumstances. Maybe we won't end up in a den of hungry lions, but we can often find ourselves in a "den" of sorts. People can be cruel in their assessments and conclusions about caregivers. Their words can be harsh and hurtful. And sadly, sometimes it's family. Caregiving is a choice and it can separate us from those we love, especially those who don't understand.

As I'm thinking about decisions today, I have two of my heroes in mind. The first is Jehoshaphat. in 2 Chronicles 20:12, he admitted he just didn't know what to do. He prayed, we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You. 

My second thought is Nehemiah. His enemies fought him the whole time he was working on the walls. They wanted him to stop. They wanted him to fear. Isn't that one of the biggest tools the enemy tries to use against us as caregivers? 

Just like Nehemiah, we just keep going, no matter what craziness the enemy of our souls throws at us. Just like Jehoshaphat, we continue to look at God when we don't know what to do. Boy, are we in good company or what?

Today, I'll remind myself of the single most important decision I need to make. To trust God, even if it means I have to admit that I am afraid, or that I really don't know what to do. Neither of those are sins, and they are both remedied by running back toward God. The One who is waiting to pull us closer to His heart and give us His peace. He's not looking for a reason to toss us aside. Instead, He patiently waits for us to decide to trust Him for one more day. That's my plan for today, will you join me?

 Peace Out! It's in the Bible is a 31-day devotional that is focused on letting God's peace reign in our hearts - no matter what. You can get the eBook from my shop at Buy Me A Coffee. Or the print and kindle versions are available in my Amazon Shop.