This is the way

Have you ever found yourself pinning over making a decision? Are you caught in-between two major decisions where either of those decisions seem very polarized? Do you feel torn between two good things? Do you feel like you are in this space where you are not where you want to be but cannot back to where you were?

Recently, I got offered two very different jobs and I could not decide which one to accept. One was in my field, something I was passionate about, but it was out of town. The other was not in my field but offered me the luxury of staying connected with my family and loved ones and I was torn. Which one do I accept? As I pinned over that decision, God led me to a book titled “Feel the fear and do it anyway”. In this book, I learned that when it comes to choosing between two (or more) good things, there is no right or wrong decision, just different ones. What? Let me explain:

Each experience has valuable lessons to be learned. If you choose Path A you will learn one set of lessons and if you choose path B you’ll learn a different set of lessons. Each path has goodies to offer such as the opportunity to experience life in a new way, the opportunity to learn and grow, and the opportunity to come out of your comfort zone to try something new. There is no right or wrong path just different paths (remember I am talking about choosing between two good things- not between right and morally depraved). The author calls this the No-Lose model in her book.

The words from this book sank down into my spirit and really helped to focus me as I picked one of those job offers. Even though over the past weeks of making the decision, I have been trying to convince myself that there was no right or wrong choice, I have had a nagging in the back of my mind if I chose right. As I pondered over my choice, a scripture got illuminated in my heart:

And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it”

Isaiah 30: 21 NIV

Even though the author of this book did not offer any Christian perspective to her No-Lose model, I think she was on to something. Many times in the throes of decision- making, I forget God directs my path towards an expected end. I agree with the author that are no wrong paths: God orders our steps whether it is to the left or the right and He goes ahead of us and lines the path for us with goodies. His goodness and mercies follow us as we walk the down the paths of our decisions. And if we continue to trust in Him, everything along that path will work together for our good and for His glory. In my limited mind, I see one path with one set of possibilities and another path with another set of possibilities. However, God sees the outcomes of my decisions (even as far as the end of my days) and He is able to bring me to that outcome regardless of whatever path I take. The key is to hear His voice saying, “this is the way, walk in it.” As long as I stay tuned to His voice, it does not matter whether I take Path A or Path B. I will come to God’s expected end. His hand will guide me and His eye will watch over me till I get where I need to be.

As I stay connected to Him, I will begin to recognize His voice when it directs me. As I lean more into God, I will stop second guessing His voice because I will recognize it right away. I am reminded of using my GPS in my car particularly when I do not know where I am going. I am usually more focused on the GPS lady’s voice than even the route I am taking. As long as I follow the GPS’ promptings I trust I will get where I need to be and that’s exactly what this scripture looks like for me. As I start to listen more for God’s voice saying, “this is the way”, I would get less concerned with the actual route I am taking. The bottom line is that God has got your back.

Yours Truly.

The choices we make

Last week news of a US- based Ghanaian pastor who killed his wife of 5 years hit the airwaves and even though I must confess I have not entirely followed the story, the bits and pieces I have heard got me thinking. The one thing I believe to be an absolute truth is that God is omniscient and nothing takes Him by surprise. This led me to asking, “So does this mean that God knew that this lady would die at the hands of her husband just 5 years after marrying him?” and the answer is Yes He did! And had this lady known that this was how she would meet her end would she have still married the pastor? (…and that’s all I will say about this story)

When God put Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden He knew that they would someday be deceived and inadvertently change the course of history. But He gave them freewill and choices. Both the choice to eat or not to eat the forbidden fruit had consequences and God knowing what choice Adam and Eve would make had to make an effort to warn them to make the right choice but ultimately they had to make the choice.

Every waking minute of every day we make choices: Our lives are saddled with choices, each of which lead us on a path to a certain outcome; unfortunately, many times we do not know what the outcome will be until we get to the outcome. And I truly believe that when God says He will never leave or forsake us, He truly means it and He walks with us along the paths we carve for ourselves regardless of the outcomes. However, we are blessed to know an amazing God who sees the end from the beginning and can help us order our steps aright so that we are set up to make choices that lead us on the path to God’s expected end for us.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Jeremiah 29: 11 KJV

He has given us His Word, He has given us His Holy Spirit, He has given us the blessings of the advice of people around us to help us along the way… But more importantly he has given us the ability to have an intimate relationship with Him where we can ask Him to personally lead us through life’s journey. This past Sunday, my pastor started a series in church titled, ‘the Way’ and this scripture is more apt than ever:

 …”Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

John 6:68 NIV

Only Jesus’ words…His daily direction for our lives can lead us towards eternal life because without Jesus as our guide, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” Prov 1: 25. So here is my prayer for myself and for you:

Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.

Psalm 119:133 NLT

And this week, pay attention to the choices you are making, no matter how mundane and be intentional in asking for God’s direction in all of it so that we all come to God’s expected end!

Yours Truly.

P.S. don’t forget to share your thoughts on this post and share it with your friends too!