What must I do to make good decisions?

Micah 6:8The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Romans 2:18You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law.

Start by making the basic decision to do what the Bible says is right and avoid what the Bible says is wrong. It is much harder to make wise decisions on big scale when you have not practiced wisdom in small, everyday decisions. For example, if you have decided consistently to tell the truth, then you will know to turn down a job opportunity if you know the company will encourage you to tell little lies to get ahead.

Psalm 25:4Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.

Follow God’s direction. God’s Word shows us where God is going. Stay on the path with him, seeking always to follow his will. Decide not to do anything that will take you off God’s path, or you will soon be in danger of losing your way.

Luke 6:12-13One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles.

Saturate your life with prayer. Talking with God calms your spirit and clears your mind, making you more able to hear his counsel.

Proverbs 12:15Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Proverbs 18:15Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge.

Psalm 37:30The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.

Listen to the advice of godly people and carefully consider it as you make a decision.

Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Don’t make a decision without first asking for God’s help. Begin all decisions with humility and reverence for God to whom you are ultimately accountable.

Proverbs 18:13Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.

Make sure you have all the facts before making up your mind.

Matthew 16:26“And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”

Resist the temptation to make choices guided by a desire for personal satisfaction. Such ambition will lead you to make some very bad decisions.

Galatians 5:22-23The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Good choices are always in keeping with the character traits produced in us by the Holy Spirit. Bad choices often are a result of neglecting those qualities for selfish ones.