5 Steps to Better Decision-Making

This article is written by MicKenzie Crowley, M.A. from the BCC staff.

Have you ever struggled to make a decision? Because I have. I am a master of overthinking, asking for people’s advice, and feeling sick about the decision. The problem is that those strategies never really settle that anxious feeling in my stomach or my racing mind when I try to make decisions. [1]

Personally, my struggle to make decisions intensifies with major life changes. In high school, college and post-college, questions like these haunted me:

Should I try out for the track team?

What college should I go to?   

Which job offer should I accept?     

Should I say yes or no to going on this date?     

This is just the beginning of a list of questions that weigh on our hearts and minds, keep us up at night, and cause internal frustration. I thought that at some point there would be less decisions to make, creating easy, stress-free plans for action… but the truth is that there will always be another decision to make.

 Before you get extremely overwhelmed thinking about decision-making, let me encourage you with this:   

5 Steps to BETTER Decision-Making

1. Think according to Biblical values.
2. Be clear about your personal priorities. 
3. Listen to wise advice.  
4. Stop putting so much weight on the decision.  
5. Make the decision and stick to it!

Thinking according to Biblical values. If we think according to biblical values, we can act on them (Prov. 3; Psalm 1:1-6). There is not a verse in Scripture that says which job offer you should accept, but God’s Word says a whole lot about using your gifts for Him and understanding your place in the body of Christ. God’s Word also emphasizes working hard and being wise with our time and money. By building a foundation of knowing God’s Word and applying it to our lives, we get better at recognizing when a choice would place us outside of following God’s Word. 

Be clear about your personal priorities. A wise counselor once explained this concept to me; he said that what helps in making great decisions is knowing what your personal values are in your current stage of life (Ecc. 3).  [2]

Listen to wise advice. If you get stuck in the details of a decision – choose a few people who know God’s Word, and live according to it. Explain your thoughts, make sure you are heard, and then really listen to the feedback they give you (Prov. 1:1-7). Listening to wise advice also means seeking out God’s will through prayer.    

Stop putting so much weight on the decision. If you have two job offers and neither go against Biblical values, then the tricky part becomes deciding which one to choose. This is when you can relax a little bit. God gives us the freedom to make decisions without condemnation when we have already filtered those decisions through biblical principles (Heb. 13:6).    

Make the decision and stick to it! After making a decision, I often go back into a circle of worrying – did I make the “right” choice? I re-evaluate every step, and it’s exhausting. Step forward in faith, knowing that God loves you, you have sought His will, and there are pros and cons to every decision. [3] Put off fear, and place your faith in the all-powerful God who deeply loves you.   

[1] This post was most recently inspired by listening to Emily P. Freeman’s “The Next Right Thing” podcast. https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/

[2] Stephen Ganschow is the Pastor of Counseling Ministries at Bethel Church. https://bethelweb.org/  

[3] Inspired by Emily P. Freeman’s “Next Right Thing” podcast – the concept of continuing forward.  https://emilypfreeman.com/podcast/