Every day, we make thousands of decisions. Some of us worry about each decision, take our time before giving an answer, and wonder afterward if it was the right one. Others of us don't question things much, we make a decision and move on. No matter what, how, or why, the decisions of our days tell the story of our lives and can be indicators of where we are and where we're headed. But how often do we forget to bring God into the conversation and into our decisions?
I'm a split-second decision-maker (except, for some reason, when it comes to choosing a restaurant for dinner), and this gets me into trouble, because it means it's very easily me making decisions instead of pausing to bring God into it. Now, does God really need to be consulted for every little decision of every second? No, but the point is more that He wants to be a normal part of our lives, our conversations, and our decisions.
Past
Let's face it, we all have decisions from our past that we would rather not think about. Some of them make us shake our heads. Others make us truly cringe.
When I was a freshman in college, I was dating a guy I had met at church. Because we had met at church, I blindly thought this would set us on the right path. I stopped bringing God into the conversation, stopped looking to him for guidance, and eventually was making decisions based on my own thoughts and feelings of what was right. We were together for 3 years, and even got engaged at one point duringthe relationship, and I just kept making decisions based on what Iwanted. Not surprisingly, the relationship reached a tipping point. The weeks and months leading up to this also coincided with me bringing God back into the conversation, and I finally did what I knew God was calling me to, what I should have done all alongI ended it.
The story was done, right? Not even close. So many of the decisions I had made during those years gave me baggage. Damaged family and friend relationships that I had to spend time mending. Hurt and uncertainty from choices that went against God's plan for the marriage relationship, which is permanently a part of my story now.
But no matter how big or crazy that baggage is, Romans 8:1-2 tells us that, "Now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death." Sure, the decisions I made 10 years ago have a lasting impact, but God's forgiveness has freed me from the condemnation of those decisions.
Present
So now what? If there's no condemnation from our past, but our past has still made up who we are, what do we do with that? Does our past have to dictate who we will become? No! If we haven't already, this is when we bring God into the conversation, into our decisions and choices. Romans 8:5-6 tells us: "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace."
It may not happen right away, it may not be abundantly clear, and it's definitely not always easy, but bringing God into our conversations and decisions ultimately brings us closer to him. And in that closeness, he can begin to use our past decisions for good. He can begin teaching us how to make better decisions in the present.
Future
Ten years ago, if you had told me I'd be six years into working at a church—three as a pastor—I'd have said you were crazy. Not because I didn't think I had the skills or determination, but because I was convinced that my past decisions somehow made me less qualified, less worthy. And while there are days I wish I could go back and erase some of those decisions, I also know that my past is a huge part of who I am today, that it's something God is able to use, especially as I work with students who are hurting, confused, struggling, and asking questions about God, life, friends, and more.
I started learning how to let God use the decisions of my past for his glory, how to let his Spirit lead me in my every day, and how to allow him to guide me toward an ever better future. And this is available to each and every one of us if we just take the time to begin the conversation, let God into our decisions, and allow him to be the biggest part of our story.
