This week it's a once off - all about emboldening you to make that next decision you've gotta make!
If you're anything like me, there are certain decisions that you just haven't gotten to making yet.
Some of these decisions haven't been made because I haven't had time yet - I've got great financial clarity for us as a family, but need to put the final touches together on our budgeting tool and have the necessary conversations with Beth to be unified. But gaining windows of time with an 18 month old tearing around the house (wonderfully) in the midst of la nina makes time windows of opportunity precious and packed with things to do.
Some of these decisions haven't been made because I'm not prepared yet - once the decision is made, there's a whole lot of work that will be set in motion that I've got to be up for (I've learnt the hard way that this is the case - too many decisions made that become half-baked real life efforts). I want to get exercising regularly again, but there's the effort of exercise, and then there's the complexity of when to fit this into family life fairly with Beth and Eva.
And then there are simply some decisions that haven't been made yet because I'm not game enough to take the plunge - I really want to work hard in the apologetics space for a wider community than just our church, but it's a big step to take if I want to really make a good go of it.
We're in the 3rd month of 2022 already. I know right - Whaaat! And as much as I'd like someone to make the decisions, and do the work, for me, I know as well as you do that this is fantasy. So I'm writing a once off blog to encourage us all to make our next daring decision.
Daring decision making is what we're all about!
I also know that our faith is all about decision making and the committing of our course that comes with that decision making. Paul is a classic example:
"one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13–14]
This, my friends, is a decision made - simple, clear, and elegantly expressed. And it's daring isn't it!?!?
All his eggs are in one basket - "one thing I do."
He wants nothing less than to get the gold - "to win the prize."
His ambition is nothing less than fulfilling His calling in Christ - "for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
If we are going to take a leaf out of Paul's book - which would make great sense considering his was and is through his writings an inspirational leader given to the Church - then we need to get about making our next daring decision.
Your daring decisions matter
I'm re-reading an inspiring book by a former Pastor, Philip Baker (who unfortunately contracted a serious illness from which he has only partially recovered), called "Decisions of Daring Achievers" (Yes, there are no guesses as to where the inspiration from this blog has come from). In the opening chapter, he makes a brilliant case for the significance of our decision making. He writes (I quote at length because it's powerful):
"The idea that decisions are vital to our success (I would use "thriving" personally) is based on two presuppositions. First, that all is not decided; that what we do or don't do does make a difference; a belief that our future is flexible, and to decide and act is to actually change how things will be.
Secondly, that the Universe is logical; that decisions mould reality because dominoes fall a certain way and, if I choose to push a particular one over, then the consequences are - by and large - predictable.
If either of these concepts is false, the wisdom and the power of personal decision-making is pure mirage. If everything is predestined, then whatever we decide and do was going to happen anyway...on the other hand, if life is totally serendipitous, with no consistency, truth, rhythm or reliable pattern, then one can never say for sure that what we believe or do, how we act or react, has any influence on the journey we experience." [p.19]
I can't agree more with this argument. And it comes with a single important conclusion - yours and my decisions matter. And they matter enough to be considered, bold, and faith-building. Just like the Apostle Paul articulated so well in Philippians 3 mentioned above.
So, let's get practical
So what is your next daring decision to be made:
Do you need to make the time necessary to get it clear?
Do you need to get prepared such that, to the best of your ability, you're ready to set in motion the work required to get moving once the decision is made?
Do you simply need to push into the plunge?
Whatever it is, I take this moment to encourage you - make your move to get decided.
And here's my second and final encouragement - do it together with someone you trust, who believes in you, but who won't wrap you up in cotton wool if you back down from your decision made. If our decisions matter, which I believe they really do, then we can't afford to allow our decision making practice to be haphazard and double-minded. Which is where community comes in.
So who will help strengthen you in your daring decision? Call them up, invite them into the decision made, and give them permission to keep you going when you want to back out.
Leaning into the daring decision making with you this week!
Written by Ps. Rob.
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