5 Keys to Making Choices You Won’t Regret

“Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered like God’s garden, like the land of Egypt. Then Lot chose the whole plain of Jordan . . .” Gen 13:10-11

 

Life is about making choices. They come in all shapes and sizes - small, big, easy and difficult. No matter what kind of choice you have to make, here are 5 Keys to Making Choices You Won't Regret.

 The Privilege of Choice

Make no mistake; having a choice to make at all is a privilege. Ancient and modern history has taught us that this is so. Biblical history has taught us that a choice is an inalienable, divine gift granted to every man, woman, and child born into this world. However, Biblical & world history has also shown us that the ability to exercise that choice is a privilege often reserved for the select few.

Not everyone is free to choose to where they live, what to think or even what to eat. For many, having a choice is a mere dream. Politically, socially, religiously and economically, being able to make a choice is out of the question.

Never underestimate the privilege you have to be able to make life-changing choices every day. It is absolutely something to be appreciated and exercised thoughtfully and carefully. Lot's unselfish uncle Abraham gave him the opportunity to choose where he wanted to live and choose he did. Lot made a choice that really set in motion his family’s downfall. His choice was based upon what looked pleasing to the eye.

Today, what criteria do you use to make a choice? Are your choices based on what looks good, sounds good or feels good? Could it be that your choices are based on a perceived lack of something, such as time, skill or dare I say  . . . money? Like Lot, what irreversible outcomes could be set in motion because of the choices you are about to make?

The Power of Choice

When you exercise your ability to choose, you truly have a powerful tool in your hands. The choices you make have the power to build up or tear down, to elevate or degrade, to defend or to exploit. Just like Lot, when you choose, you too have the power to change the trajectory of your life, family, community, city, nation and the world. Your choices are powerful because of their impact. Weighing your options and their impact, before you make your final choice, is truly a powerful act.

The Value of Choice

What comes to mind when you think about something’s value?  Have you ever thought about your choices being valuable? Exactly how valuable are the choices you make when it comes to accomplishing your personal, family or your business goals? Bear in mind that NOT making a choice or sitting on the fence also has value and a cost?

What about the benefits that you or someone else stands to gain as a result of exercising your choice? When you have a choice to make it is worth pausing to consider its true value and cost and whether or not your choice is compatible with your personal, professional and spiritual values.

The Responsibility of Choice

With your ability to choose comes responsibility for that choice. When you make a choice you are vicariously signing up to be held accountable for the outcome of that choice. The act of choosing means that you also have a duty to deal with the consequences – the good, the bad and the ugly. As Mind Changers, burying your head in the sand and acting like you had nothing to do with the outcome of your choices is not an option. Today is the best time to take full responsibility for the choices that you make.

The Danger of Choice

When God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, He gave them freedom of choice. They were at liberty to make decisions for themselves, even if it was something that God might disapprove of or had expressly forbidden. As a result of this gift of choice, it came with an innate set of dangers.  As it happened, Adam and Eve, in exercising their ability to choose for themselves, ended up wreaking havoc on the whole human race with catastrophic, deadly consequences that are felt just as strongly today. The danger of choice is that, when exercised from a purely human, selfish perspective, there is a very real chance that other people will be negatively affected by your choice.  Just because you can make a choice, it doesn’t mean that your choice should be carelessly or selfishly made, especially when it has the capacity to cause pain, suffering or any other kind of danger to another person. Ask yourself if the choices you are about to make are in alignment with who you are, who you represent, where you desire to go in this life and with your eternal destination.

So, the next time you need to make a choice, consider the privilege, power, value, responsibility and the danger that comes with or will be a consequence of the choice you make. When you consider the 5 Keys To Making Choices You Won't Regret, you will experience more positive outcomes and maximize your ability to achieve your personal, professional and spiritual goals.