Decisions, Decisions, and more Decisions

This past Lord’s Day I preached a message on A Biblical Perspective for Decision-making. I originally intended explore this topic by looking at various passages of scriptures but then landed on Philippians 1:26-27:

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

I got stuck on “I am hard pressed between the two”. Paul has a dilemma he’s dealing with, to die or continue on living to follow God’s plan for his life.

I too am faced with decisions, decisions, and more decisions. In a survey, pastors who said they made no tough decisions during a year were more likely to be fired than pastors who could identify such decisions. Pastors willing to face decisions last longer.

Yet longevity is not the only indicator of fallout from making or not making difficult decisions. There are other, less obvious factors. To identify those, one survey asked a series of questions about the toll risky decisions take on the leaders’ personal well-being, their ministry effectiveness, and their families.

The good news from the survey results is that when a tough decision is over, most of the pastors who stayed and even those who leave see benefits from the process they have been through.

Surprisingly, tough decisions cost pastors who stayed more personal pain than those who were forced to leave. Most pastors who stayed after a tough decision said the process took a toll on their physical, mental, and emotional health. Ministry decisions take a toll on everyone in the pastor’s household, no matter what the outcome of the decision. Ministerial effectiveness, as perceived by the pastor involved, always suffer. During tough decision-making many pastors recognized that a church in pain cannot serve as well as a church in good health.

Some of the recommendations offered in my message (of which many of them I didn’t get too) were:

1. Pray before you decide

2. Study Scripture for a clear understanding of God’s will for your life

3. Seek godly counsel from those you can trust

4. Check your motives by asking yourself tough questions and be honest with yourself when answering the questions

5. Try plan for the outcome of decision being made

6. Take your time but don’t wait too long

7. Pray before you decide