Learn to Discern

[wbindia]

Every day people are making decisions in their lives. This is fact of life for everyone of us, from the simplest decision of whether to get up in the morning and go to work, what career, business, college , which home business or which marriage partner you should you choose. For many people, I will admit that decision making is so automatic and routine, that many will not even consider the consequences or ramifications of their decisions regardless of the outcome and and/or consequences from those decisions. Maybe you too are in the same boat.

I firmly believe that with every decision that is made, there is an outcome (cause and affect). If you decide to move forward today in doing X, then, there will be an impact of that decision that will affect you, and the people that the action will impact (good, bad or indifferent). The one thing that I have always tried to do in advising/mentoring people in goal setting is that with every decision or action that you take you must be ready to accept and embrace the consequences of those actions that you are about to do.

The one thing that has always surprised me is that people will plan to the smallest detail regarding their yearly vacations. People will plan sometimes in a year or more in advance of these leisure get -aways, and many times will have already planned out carefully the trip itinerary, the driving routes (if going by car), the air line tickets, which seat you are sitting in, what meals you will have on the plane, hotel reservations already decided, the selection and choice of rental car, the dining facilities already planned as well as the entertainment options already decided before you even set one foot on your vacation.

There is nothing wrong with planning a vacation, I too like and enjoy vacations very much with my wife when we have the time and the financial resources to do so. However from my experience, many people are not applying the same careful consideration when planning which schools to study, which job or career one should go into, to which state, or country one should work in to whom one should decide to marry.

As a Christian believer, I believe it is absolutely imperative to put all things that you are deciding to do before God in prayer, and be sincere and honest with your partner or spouse in the entire process. Many times a spouse will purposely withhold information from the other spouse or partner in a decision that has already been set in stone, without careful consideration and consent of informing the other party as to the decision that was done. These type of rash decisions not only have a higher percentage for failure because of rashness to action without proper prayer and discernment, but more importantly-you jeopardize your relationship by not being honest with your spouse or partner.

Rules to Go By

PRAY: Ask God in prayer regarding your decision.. Matthew 21:22 says; And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. This is an important verse that has real life consequences and if you do no learn to discern before you decide.

Reflect: Think and reflect upon your decision in trying to understand what the impact will do. I m not stating you need to know the future, nobody but God himself knows that. What I am saying is that with any action, you will have a reaction to that action. If you do x, result y will ensue. The point is to way pros and cons of both outcomes.

Reflect: Think and reflect upon your decision in trying to understand what the impact will do. I m not stating you need to know the future, nobody but God himself knows that. What I am saying is that with any action, you will have a reaction to that action. If you do x, result y will ensue. The point is to way pros and cons of both outcomes.

Wait: Wait at least 30 days before acting upon the decision that you have decided to do. If you're planning on buying that expensive new car or ne house, wait for at least 30 days. People by nature are very impulsive creatures and people act on their decisions by impulse. By waiting 30 days, you will know whether this was just a fluke or a real need that you still need to move forward and act upon. Many times though the decision to act will pass.

Need vs Want: This has more to do with decisions of a financial nature regarding purchases. I've learned this lesson many years ago but it still has universal and lasting appeal to this day. From now on, anything that involves finances (trading money for services/goods). Identify between needs and wants. Many times, what you perceive as a need is really a want, and will save you financial and emotional heartache down the road if you only will learn to discern.

Remember: "The only Unfulfilled Goals in Your Life are the Ones you Never Attempt"


Best-

Wayne