Analysis Paralysis

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

—Romans 8:26–28

Maybe you have been there. A decision needs to be made. You ponder and pray. You research and get other people’s opinions. You analyze the hows and what-ifs. You desperately want to know which is the one right decision to make. The perfect move. The will of God.

Not being able to make a decision is a feverish symptom but not the real sickness. Fear of failure is the real cause of our analysis paralysis.

We should fear stepping out of God’s will. But if you desire to please God with the decision you make and afterward it proves to be a mistake, it’s an error not an end.

It took me quite awhile to get this. I remember being a young girl wondering how in the world I’d make all the right choices in life. What if I picked the wrong college? And then picked the wrong town to move to after college? And then picked the wrong job that put me in the wrong circle of friends? And then and then and . . . a thousand more mistakes that all spun off picking the wrong college. I would analyze every option until I didn’t want to make any decision for fear of making the wrong one.

God’s promises are not dependent on my ability to always choose well, but rather on His ability to use well.

I have a friend who had this same analysis paralysis until a wise mentor said something that gave her freedom. He said so many people stress over knowing God’s will and what the right choice is. But sometimes God gives us two or more choices that would all please Him and be in His will. We get to choose.

My friend said understanding that has given her more confidence to make decisions, In fact, it’s strengthened her relationship with God as she exercises stepping out in faith, trusting God to give her the discernment she needs to choose wisely.

The fear of making a wrong decision shouldn’t strip the faith right out of our faith. The only way our faith will ever strengthen is for us to use it. We need to apply thought and prayer to our decisions and then trust God for the outcome. We need to set our sights on growing in faith, not shrinking back for fear of failure.

If I’m trusting myself, I will stare at all the possible ways I could fail. If I’m trusting God, I will stare at all the possible ways He’ll use this whether I fail or succeed. When I stare at failure, I’ll fear it. I’ll convince myself it’s the worst thing that could happen. And I’ll stay stuck. But when I stare at all the possible ways God can use this whether I succeed or fail, I’ll face my decision. I’ll convince myself that it’s better to step out and find out than to stay stuck.

Here’s the bottom line. Good decisions will often have elements of not so good. And not-so-good decisions have elements of good. Either way, if I’m hoping to be able to know the perfect choice and then move forward with absolute certainty, I’ll probably not move forward.

Here’s where the certainty is: My imperfections will never override God’s promises. God’s promises are not dependent on my ability to always choose well, but rather on His ability to use well.

God will use the good and not-so-good parts of the decisions we make. A very popular verse reminds us of this. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Don’t miss this crucial part: “for the good of those who love him.” We must have at the core of our hearts a love for God and a surrender to God if we want to be guided by God.

Also don’t miss the context from which this verse is pulled. Verse 28 starts with the word and, which tells me that it’s tied to the verses that precede it. Verses 26–27 remind us that when we are feeling uncertain or weak, the Holy Spirit will lift up prayers for us in accordance to God’s will. Let’s read the whole paragraph as it goes together.

“The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (vv. 26–28).

If your heart and your mind are aligned in the direction of God, you don’t have to agonize to the point of paralysis over the decisions before you. We will steer where we stare. So stare mightily at God and His plan. And if you don’t know His plan, stare mightily at living out His Word in your life, and His plan will unfold day by day. Decision by decision.

God, thank You for being sovereign over my life. Thank You for Your Word to guide me. I ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on my behalf, and I commit my decisions to You. Thank You, Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen