BEST LEADER - JESUS CHRIST
We must begin by realizing that many different people may influence our choices: friends, parents, professors, and the media, among others. But the best influence is Jesus Christ. He promises, "I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). Our greatest need is for the security and leadership He offers. Our greatest decision is to trust Him (John 11:26). It's not simply a one-time choice. Rather, it's a lifestyle in which we continue to follow Jesus day after day.
What does Jesus want us to do? Though He may supernaturally reveal some guidance, God usually gives us the privilege and responsibility to choose for ourselves, using the principles and instructions found in the Bible.
BEST MISSION - TO LOVE JESUS, OTHERS, AND SELF
Our mission is our highest objective. People choose many different missions or purposes for which to live, including position, possessions, pleasure, and projects. But Jesus declares that the primary mission of His followers is to love people with agape - that tough, enduring, committed love (Matt. 22:35-40).
You agape love through building relationships with Jesus, others (including family, believers, nonbelievers, work, and our nation), and yourself. But this is often not easy. We must continue developing our skills to love people better (Phil. 1:9-10).
BEST STRATEGY - BUILT WITH WISDOM
Once we identify our mission, we must make individual choices concerning how we'll fulfill it (Eph. 5:15-16). But even in this, we're not alone. God offers us wisdom - the ability to assess a situation and determine the best course of action.
The Bible contains much teaching on how to make wise decisions. Many of these points can be summed up in the mnemonic POPCORN:
P - Pray for wisdom
O - List the Options
P - Weigh the Pros
C - Weigh the Cons
O - Open your Bible
R - Get Recommendations
N - No hurry!
In every stage of life, we can formulate a comprehensive plan for what we want to accomplish in each of our important relationships. And finally, we want to follow through with action and fulfill our mission (2 Tim. 4:7).
Excerpted from Where Do I Go From Here?: Making the Right Decisions in Life by Nicholas Comninellis; copyright 2002 by New Leaf Press, Green Forest, Ar., www.newleafpress.net.
Dr. Nicholas Comninellis teaches public health and family medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He has authored several books, as well as numerous articles in professional journals. He is especially passionate about outreach to neglected people and spent several years working in Africa and China. For more information or to contact the author, please go to: http://www.creativeenergy.org
How do you seek God's guidance for your life? What are some of the ways He has recently revealed His will to you for a tough decision you had to make? Visit Crosswalk's forums to discuss this topic by clicking on the link below.