Some decisions are easy to make, but we still choose unwisely. We “know better” but eat fried chicken instead of baked, drink 4 glasses of wine when one is ample…we have healthy, great options, but… So when it comes time to make larger life decisions, we look at our track record and realize maybe healthy choices aren’t our forte. There’s a subconscious lack of trust in ourselves and this creates stress.
The proverbial fork in the road – it’s a place we all come to, sometimes without even a realization we are there. I recently spoke with one of my ministers about this place. This forked road. He reminded me that we will often make wrong decisions – and it may not be how we want to experience this world, but it’s ok. We are people that make mistakes.
Sure, we learn from mistakes, sometimes. Sure, we can again change our minds. And certainly, nothing (but love) lasts forever. But finding peace with decisions requires a maturity that is based in faith.
I didn’t want to be responsible or mature, so I asked him for his direct advice. I normally can’t stand people’s advice, but there are times when I just want to be told what I “should” do. His reply: “When it comes time, I think you’ll know.”
I want to fight that response, it’s not what I want to hear. Someone do it for me. Help me. Just decide for me for goodness sake! But in my heart of hearts, I do know that when it comes time, I’ll know. Just like every other decision that I cared about. I generally go thru a process of mental turmoil for a few weeks, then exhaust myself and in that mental exhaustion I find my heart and suddenly, I hear the answer. It was there all along, but drowned by the noise in my mind. Not all decisions can be made in the heart, this is true. But when you have the luxury of time to decide, you can either relax in the process or have a mental war of “this or that” – I suggest you spare yourself the anguish. Try to let go and listen to your heart. You’ll know – when it’s time.