Just Make a Decision

Recently, we got together with another family whose kids are around the same ages as ours. The adults were sitting at the table talking, and the kids were in the other room playing Apples to Apples. I heard my older daughter say to her younger sister, “It’s not like you’re picking a college; just make a decision.”

I laughed so hard I almost spit out my drink. What my daughter said was funny in itself, but what made it even funnier is that my older daughter is the most indecisive person I know. So much so that when my parents are in town and plan to take us out to dinner, they make her look at the menu and decide what she wants to order before we leave to go to the restaurant. Decisions are hard for her.

“It’s not like you’re picking a college; just make a decision,” has become a regular saying in our home. When my daughter was pondering what cookie to eat, my husband said to her, “It’s not like you’re picking a college; just make a decision.” Or when it was another child’s turn to pick a movie for the evening, and the process was taking much longer than it should have, I said, “You’re not picking a college; just make a decision.”

This saying has helped ease the tension that usually surrounds decision making in my home—that is, until we actually do have to pick a college.

Unfortunately, not all decisions are as easy as which card to lay down in Apples to Apples, which cookie to eat, or which movie to watch. Life is full of important and impactful decisions.

Have you ever been stuck? As in, you know you need to make a decision, but you don’t have clarity on what to do, so you don’t make any decision? I feel like I have been there more times than I care to admit. Not wanting to make the wrong decision, I fail to make any.

I pray for answers and direction, but I am lost. Verses like Exodus 14:14 and Psalm 46:10 encourage stillness, so I stand still. I wait.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps 46:10 NIV)

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Ex 14:14 NIV)

I wouldn’t describe myself as a fearful person, but sometimes I can be paralyzed by not knowing the right thing to do. I don’t want to make the wrong choice.

Now, while I truly believe there are moments in our lives when we need to wait on God and be still, I don’t think that is a blanket statement. I don’t believe being paralyzed by indecision is the same as being still because God is asking you to wait.

After a prayer time during which I was crying out to God, asking for direction and clarity as I chose between two different paths, I found myself in Exodus 14. I was struck by what comes after the command to be still in verse 14:

“Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Ex 14:15 NIV).

Move on?

No. I was not moving until I had a sign from God telling me which way to go. I wanted a pillar of fire to guide me. A burning bush to speak to me.

The Israelites didn’t receive a sign, though, before they were told to move on. They were facing the expanse of a sea. The angel of God that had been in front of them withdrew and went behind them, as well as the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. These instruments God was using to guide them and lead them retreated behind them (for their protection), and they were left staring at a sea, not knowing what to do. One minute Moses was telling them to be still, and the very next, God was telling Moses to tell them to move on.

Move on.

Take the step.

Can you imagine being face-to-face with something that appears unmovable, and the only thing you can do is to take a step, to move? I can’t fathom what the Israelites were thinking. A few verses prior, they were asking if they had been brought to the desert because there were no graves in Egypt. Now, they were walking on dry ground where the Red Sea had been parted. They moved, and when they did, God parted the waters in front of them. They had to move so God could take action on their behalf.

I wonder how that story would have played out if the Israelites had continued to be still. They didn’t know what was going to happen; they didn’t know how God was going to rescue them. But still, they moved, in blind faith that God would deliver on his promise.

Indecision can keep us from fully living into all God has called us to. And while there are times we need to stand still and wait for direction, there are also times when we need to move on, even when the direction isn’t clear.

Are you paralyzed by indecision? If you are, might God simply be calling you to move so that he can part the waters in front of you?

Heather Gerwing is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.

Photograph © Kyle Glenn, used with permission