Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. The prompt this week is … Right.
These last several months have brought about more decisions than one could have imagined. Some decisions came more easily than others. Some were agonized over and brought tears along with an assortment of emotions. But the question always lingered, asked aloud or in our heads …
“How do we know we are making the right decision?”
Essential or non-essential?
Mask or no mask?
Three feet, six feet, or ten feet?
In person or online?
Vacation or not?
Hybrid, remote, or homeschool?
The thing is – everyone is truly desiring to make the right decision. And when the decision is made, each person truly feels their decision is right. No one moves forward with their decision thinking they have made the wrong choice.
Perhaps we each must come to the place of recognizing and respecting the decisions made by others. Be supportive. Encourage them in their decision. Perhaps this will be the way we all come through to the other side.
As we weigh options and seek God to help us make right and good decisions, let’s trust that He is guiding each one of us. The decision may look differently for each of us, but it may still be the right one for each.
“Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.”
(Psalm 25:4-5, NLT)
May we not trust in ourselves, but place our hope and trust in the One who will lead us on the right path!
Photo by David Tommasino
Today I am joining …
Yes! So grateful we can lean on Him to give us the right path for each one of us. Where the lines are grey, our paths may differ but He is so faithful to lead the way.
Yes – I was reflecting on this today, to be gracious towards one another. There are so many areas where we can make different choices without being ‘wrong’ – enjoyed reading this, thank you. #14
And, when we are wrong – there is grace.
So hard to make the right decision,
so hard to stand and choose!
Our free choice becomes a prison,
and in liberty we lose
the certainty of programmed thought,
the comfort of direction,
when we are told that which we ought
to do, without reflection!
Won’t someone take this off my hands,
won’t someone be my guide
through that which I don’t understand,
so I can turn and hide
my eyes from what I’d (Please!) not see,
need for responsibility.
So true! God will show us the right way! We just have to listen.
I’ve come to think about a lot of these restrictions in the way that Paul talked about eating meat offered to idols in 1 Corinthians 8. I’m sure that some of them don’t matter, BUT if my behavior becomes a stumbling block to someone else, then it matters immensely. So I will wear my mask and walk only one way down the grocery store aisles for now, and I will do it for God if I can’t get my heart to do it for my neighbor.
Amie, FMF #21
I feel this…. Thankful that He promises to lead us. Thank you for sharing. FMF 10
Wise words, Joanne.
Joanne, hi! I do hear what you’re saying as I’ve been experiencing the Spirit’s quiet nudge and redirection forward in recent days.
I’m so grateful …
Such wise words, Joanne. We pray, make the best decision we can based on the information we have, and then keep going. Either that or spend all our time worrying and second-guessing ourselves. I know which one route I prefer! Hugs, friend.
And the second guessing of ourselves is just awful. May we trust the Lord to provide us the wisdom and discernment in every decision.
Yes! Thank You!
It’s been so hard trying to make the right decisions over every little thing these past months. It has worn me out. ha. Even going to the grocery store turned into a series of decisions. I’m thankful that we can trust in God to help guide us on the right path and to correct us when we wander off.
Lisa, so funny you mention going to the grocery store as I recently said to my daughter how everything takes longer to do. I am so very grateful God is in it all, even these small things which at times seem big. Blessings!
Thank you for this reminder that He is guiding each of us and that may look different for each of us too.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. Made a big one the other day. It looked like all systems were go because a major component came through for me but now, the other parts don’t seem to be coming together…
Yvonne, God is in each and every part. He is guiding you whether He opens or closes doors. May you have peace as He helps you navigate all of your current decisions.
My soapbox saying in life has become “different doesn’t mean wrong.” In so many areas, we think our way is the only right way, that people doing things differently than we do are doing them wrong. Unless it’s a sin issue, it really is okay to do or think differently. In fact, this very subject was what I wrote about on my brand-new blog, and Lisa graciously invited me to link up with Grace & Truth.
Blessings,
Patti @ Empty Nest Homemaker
Yes! Oh, may we look up to Him for guidance, and allow others the same freedom. It’s so easy to judge, instead of pausing in love. Thanks for this great word.
I enjoyed reading this, Joanne! As a recovering “bossy girl,” I have to consciously remind myself to respect other people’s choices and decisions, even when I might have chosen differently. I find this especially challenging with my adult sons, but I’m working on it.
It is something I constantly remind myself with my adult children. They each need to make their own decisions and they may look differently than mine. But they may be the right ones for them. May we be faithful to pray for the Lord to guide them in their decisions – for Him to provide the wisdom and discernment needed.
Joanne,
Thank you and Amen: “As we weigh options and seek God to help us make right and good decisions, let’s trust that He is guiding each one of us. The decision may look differently for each of us, but it may still be the right one for each.”
Blessings to you 🙂