This next behavior we can develop is really important…or maybe not…or maybe it is..or maybe it’s…ok sorry I couldn’t help myself! This habit is the Habit of Being Decisive. Mrs Meyer says that some people take too long to make a decision, while others make them way too fast, and yet others will not make any at all! She quotes Theodore Roosevelt who said, “In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” (p57) It is better to make some choice than none at all because God can work with any choice we make, but He has nothing to work with if we won’t make any choice. We do need to stop and weigh all our options, get counsel from others if we do not have the expertise needed, and of course, we must spend time praying over our decisions. But once we do all that in a timely manner, we must just choose something.
Many people do not want to make a decision because they are afraid they will make the wrong one. To this Mrs Meyer shares a great little story about a successful businessman who is being interviewed. Here’s my condensed version. The man is asked, “Sir, what is the secret to your success?” To which he answers, “Two words…Good decisions.” Then the reporter asks, “And how do you make good decisions?” The bank owner says, “One word…experience.” Then the journalist asks, “And how do you get experience?” To which he replies, “Two words…Bad decisions.” (see pp59-60) Do we get that? The way we learn to make good ones is by making some bad ones. No one is advocating we make foolish choices, but sometimes we just have to step out in Faith and try something. Then we trust that God will make it clear to us if we are going down the wrong path. If not we keep on taking the next step. This is a big part of walking by Faith.
Once we do make a decision we must make sure we follow through. She hits the nail on the head when she says, some don’t make a decision because they don’t want the work of following through. It is often exciting to make a decision, but then we might quickly lose that enthusiasm as we have to do the day to day labor of getting to the goal we resolved to reach. An easy example is losing weight. Many put off this grand endeavor because of all the work, tenacity and sacrifice involved…I know this issue all too well. More tomorrow…
14 Good Habits
Behavior 1: The God Habit
Behavior 2: Thoughts, Words and Habits
Behavior 3: The Habit of Being Decisive
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
<>< Peace, Diane
