Prayer For An Important Decision

They all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

Acts 1:24-26

The big decisions—what job offer we should take, what person we should marry—are the ones that produce the most anxiety. We spend hours agonizing over the pros and cons of each choice. The early church had such an important decision before them. Who would replace Judas among Jesus’ twelve disciples? These early Christians wanted God’s choice, so they prayed. As a group, they nominated two men who appeared to them to be genuine followers of Christ. But they realized they couldn’t test the hearts of both individuals—only God could do that. So they submitted the choice to God in prayer.

What decision do you need to submit to God? Ask God to guide you in making your decision. Ask him to reveal his choice for you.

• Dear Lord, you know my heart. Show me what you have chosen for me . . .