Confirming Decisions

No decision of significance is made in our household without lots of discussion and then giving it to the Lord for a final yes or no. I can not remember a time when we did this and the out come was not the right direction. A few years back, we sensed the Lord wanted us to become an independent ministry. We had been under the covering of a national organization who had been nothing but great to work with, however it seemed like it was time to move in a different direction.

My wife and I talked about it and then I went to our advisor board, 4 trusted individuals who had been part of the ministry from nearly its beginning. After initial discussions, through phone calls and emails, we went to the Father in prayer. I waited about a month to let each seek the Lord and hear for His still small voice. The answer we received was interesting.

None of us was hearing anything. We spoke again and decided to continue in prayer. I had already had a friends church offer to ordain me which was an indication we should move forward. However, there was no need to rush…our petitions continued. Another few weeks went by with none of us hearing anything. I was starting to think we should just drop the whole idea.

I went back to the Lord one last time. In His still small voice He said, “This is man’s requirement, not mine, do as you deem appropriate.” I told the advisors what I heard, it was as revelational to them as it was to me, we decided to become an independent ministry.

How do you make big decisions? Doing it on your own can be a costly mistake. I urge you to seek men and women of character to help you move forward. There is no substitute for Godly council.

Blessings

Confirming Decisions
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22).

Confirming major decisions through the counsel of others is one way God protects us from poor decisions. This process is designed to confirm direction for which we are seeking confirmation. Paul was sensitive not to get too heavy-handed in the confirmation process though. He offered advice to others but was not the enforcer of their decisions. “And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter”(2 Corinthians 8:10).

The requirement for efficient administration frequently requires single points of decision-making. Where there is willingness and trust to receive input, there is also humility, faith, and grace for God to work His pleasure in His servant. Where there is unwillingness, the opposite is true.

There have been times in my life where I have felt strongly about a certain issue only to receive feedback from those close to me which revealed that I was not accurate in my assessment of the situation. I have learned to yield in such situations, trusting that God is working through those in whom I am accountable.

The scriptures encourage us to seek advice and counsel from other Godly people who share the same values and goals that we have. “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise”(Proverbs 19:20). “Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance”(Proverbs 20:18).

Peace of mind is another important confirmation requirement for making decisions. If you do not have peace about a decision, you should wait until God gives you peace. This does not mean your decision may not have some tension due to the faith aspect of it, but deep down you should have a peace that it is the right decision. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Do you need to make a major decision? Ask God to give you confirmation through others.