Every moment of our lives we are faced with a plethora of decisions. With so many choices our response is often to do nothing at all. The speed in which life moves today can be overwhelming and even paralyzing. When faced with too many options we many times choose to react to whatever result our indecision brings. This leads to a stressful and unfulfilled life, one that is a far cry from the one Jesus created us to live. We are here for a purpose, and there is a limited amount of time we all have to accomplish that mission. I want to look at three ways we can overcome the overwhelming decisions we all face on a daily basis.
- Recognize that inactivity is itself a choice. Renowned lyricist (and phenomenal drummer) Neal Peart once wrote, “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” Life does not occur in a vacuum. There are forces swirling around us, both spiritual and physical, that will dictate action regardless of whether or not we choose to inject our own will into the fray. Watching life simply pass by is as mind-numbing and unfulfilling as it gets. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find myself as having been merely a footnote in history. We are called to impact our world, and I want to do that as loudly as possible! That won’t happen without taking purposeful action in my life.
- Know your priorities. It is easier to deal with many choices when you have a clear understanding of how you intend to live. With a clear sense of mission, we can discern the activities and choices that will move us toward our goals, and which ones will push us further away. If you have a solid list of priorities by which you live, you can simply run down the checklist as situations present themselves. For example, if you are driving to work and see a woman with a handful of kids on the side of the road trying to fix a flat tire, you have to decide whether or not to stop and help. If your priorities are aligned with the commands of Christ, you know helping someone in need is more important than getting to work on time. When we have committed ourselves to being followers of Christ, our priorities are crystal clear, and in that way our choices become obvious as well.
- Keep it precious. The moments of our lives are here for only a second before disappearing forever. We can choose to seize the moments and wring out every ounce of life we can from them or let them slip through our fingers, allowing opportunity and fulfillment to slip away as well. We need to embrace the finiteness of our lives. Recognize that each moment arrives but once and determine in advance to engage every one of them. Be daring and adventurous; you don’t always need every fact before diving in. I’m not advocating foolishness, but rather a disciplined determination to act. See every moment as one bursting with opportunities to serve our Lord and King.
By refusing to be paralyzed by the chaos of our lives, we will begin to experience the abundant life Jesus promised to His followers (John 10:10). Perhaps even more importantly, we will become active participants in the Kingdom and fulfill our purpose along the way. We don’t need to be rich or famous, but we are all called to live lives of significance. We are the ambassadors of Jesus to our world. As we live out that calling, what could be more significant than that? Don’t be afraid of the choices that come your way. Seize every moment with which you are entrusted; cherish it, and keep it precious.