Questions & Decisions

Why does it seem difficult to make important decisions? Perhaps because we know that there are ramifications to every decision. Ramifications that we don’t always see right away. When we decide to have that doughnut for breakfast, for example, we do so to satisfy the immediate question of what to eat because I’m hungry but we don’t always consider the consequences of that decision since it seems so small. After all, one doughnut does not make or break a waistline. However, it is the small decisions that begin to add up. If we make the same decision for breakfast over a long period, we will find that our waistline is out of control.

So why are important decisions hard to make, compared to the smaller seemingly less important ones? Because we tend to be aware of their implications on a bigger scale and we begin to weigh the impact of not only the decision to be made but also all the connecting results.

How can we make good decisions? Well, I believe the first thing to do is to pray about it and seek God’s wisdom (James 1:5). None of us can foretell the future. We do not know what all the ramifications can be to our decisions, nor can we anticipate all the resulting consequences. Therefore, we need to rely on God. Secondly, I believe we need to make better smaller decisions. The more practice you have at making smaller decisions that turn out correctly, the better your odds at making larger decisions.

How do we make informed decisions? By asking the right questions. Questions that help reduce the risks of suffering the unknown. Ask enough questions, especially the right questions, and you should be able to reach the right decision. So if you have some important decisions to make, begin by asking questions of yourself, those involved, others who have made similar decisions etc… What are the best questions to ask – I can’t say for sure but they will usually start with either: Who, What, Where, When, Why or How.