When we're facing the risk of a life-changing event, indecision always shows up uninvited. The unknown still provoke the fear of the "what ifs."
To go or not to go? Should I take that risk or no? Indecision is always the threshold of a risk, to the unknown. We all face hesitation in life. It becomes a problem when the doubt paralyzes us and block our ability to make good choices.
The first thing to do before making a significant decision is to determine the root of the doubt. What factors are keeping you at the fork in the road of indecision? When the decision you are trying to make is one that will go against God's word, the answer is easy and should always be a NO. Always choose God. When the decision you are about to make is not against God's word, we need to go deeper into ourselves to discover what is causing the doubt.
James 1:8 says: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Sitting in indecision for too long makes you an unstable person. Nothing is more aggravating than a person that today says one thing, and the next day says something different. When we are troubled by doubt and indecision is when our intimacy with God helps. The only way you can know the mind of God is by spending time with him. By getting to know him, you become familiarized with His mind and will gain the wisdom to make the right decision.
Psalms 37:23 says: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. The only way to please God is by staying inside of His Will. For that reason alone, when doubt creeps in, go deeper in intimacy with God and His Word, and I can guarantee that you will find answers. Dwelling too long in the indecision will rob you of God's blessing by allowing a doubtful thought to linger for too long.
What happens when the indecision is one that is not against God's word? Those are the difficult ones because they are based on our reasonable judgment. Fear is the main factor when it comes to making decisions. Maybe it is the fear of not feeling qualified for the task. Fear of failure, rejection, and/or things to go wrong. That is the fear that keeps most people away from taking risks in life. That fear kept me for years in one position, avoiding the risk of what my heart desired. Uncertainty kept me in a prison, keeping me away to fulfill my dreams.
My advice for you today is that if what you are about to do will not cause you to fail God in the process and your heart is telling you to take the risk, DO IT! There is only one way to know what is waiting for you on the other side and is s leap of faith. When we are facing doubtful thoughts, there is always one side that is based on fear, and more often, the other is what we want to do. The voice we try to silence due to our insecurities, that thing that fear is not allowing us to experience.
A while ago, I decided to take risks regardless of the fear. I don't hold anything back; I express how I feel, I live life the way I want to, I embrace what do me good and reject what do me wrong. I embraced all the things that bring positivity into my life. My circle is smaller, but I'm happy. If a relationship is not working, I let it go. If I have an interest in someone and is mutual, I give it a try. There is nothing to lose. I either gain a great experience or a lesson. I'm still winning. I have learned to accept what life throws at me. I decided to ignore the criticism and stop worrying about what people had to say. If everything works out, I receive good wishes, and if it goes wrong, I face criticism with the same level of temperance. The experiences, good or bad, determine who we are today.
A few weeks ago, a person that I had admired for a long time due to her ability to change the atmosphere with her worship told me she admired me and complimented my audacity and my freedom to speak my mind. Her comment got me by surprise because out of both of us; she is the admirable one. At that moment, I understood that lots of women, including the past me, lived by a shadow of indecisiveness, worried about people's opinions or the stereotype of a "Christian woman" that is the norm in society. That Christian woman stereotype had kept me in constant disagreement with religion.
God created us with a predestined purpose. He also gave us different talents and personalities. Through those gifts and traits, we honor God through our lives. I said it before, but I was raised inside the church. In my internal search of God, I had spent time studying His Word, and with all humility, I can say I have good knowledge of who God is. My personality, the way I am, my personal experience with God, shaped the way I minister to other women today. The way I perceived God does not allow me to bring you a message of condemnation in every article I share. I can’t be transparent and honest if I only bring you the bad news when God has been so good and merciful with me. I understand I can bring awareness of the deadly consequences of sin from the standpoint of love.
I couldn't bring you a message of rules and man doctrines to make my sister in Christ feel less just because she doesn't follow "church rules." We all have access to the grace of God. I've been condemned to hell because I wear makeup, tattoos, and always being a little rebellious. Guess what? When I had a personal encounter with God, none of that mattered. The love of God embraced me the way I was, with my sins and flaws. In my walk with God, He has changed me. He has molded my character and my personality; He has taught me when is necessary to speak and when to remain silent. He is teaching me how to see others from a perspective of love.
When I realized God's grace and mercy could be real and evident through my transparency and testimony, I lose the fear. Well, not really, I learned how to take the risk despite fear. Most of my indecisiveness was based on fear and doubts. I feared what people would think of my ways of bringing God's message. Today I can tell you that if you're doing things according to God's will and not failing him. Jump, take the risk!
I know you probably heard many times that life in God is full of sacrifices and limitations. I want you to know it is not as bad as they want you to believe it is. Often, the rules imposed by men are the ones making the Christian life a burden. Get to know God, study his word, and base your life accordingly. Never doubt the fantastic ability you own to overcome indecision, be victorious, and live a meaningful life in Him, even with your fears and flaws. The bible is full of stories of people that were far from perfect and have made great things in God's name. Put your mind at peace and jump into what God has already predestined for you!
Today, take away all the power you gave to fear, doubtfulness, and jump in to use all the potential God has deposited in you to serve His kingdom. You will see great things coming out of you. God will use your talent, your personality, the way you express yourself for His Glory. Go ahead, I will be waiting for you on the other side of fear!
