Earlier this week, I had an interesting interaction with a person which provided a valuable lesson for how to make decisions in situations where we are not sure what we ought to do.
I had heard this person speak at a place of worship and was impressed. His devotion, sincerity, kindheartedness and humility were very obvious, as were his wisdom and erudition. I thought it would be great if he could speak at another forum, which I occasionally attend. And so, I contacted one of the organizers of this forum in this regard, who got in touch with him and invited him as a speaker. He willingly agreed. Later, I got back to him and suggested a particular topic on which he could speak. It was a subject that I thought would be very useful for forum participants. However, instead of agreeing at once to my suggestion (as I perhaps expected or hoped he would), he indicated that he would pray about it.
In replying the way he did, the man taught me a valuable lesson: When it comes to making a decision about an important matter, instead of deciding things by oneself, one should turn to God in prayer and request Him to guide us to do what He wants us to. One’s decision should be made in accordance with the guidance from God that one receives. This way, one can be sure that the decision is the best possible one, one that is in accordance with God’s will.
The man’s response to my suggestion highlighted both the possibility and the importance of a close, personal, two-way relationship with God. It also underscored the importance of conversation with God, which, to me, is what true prayer is about.
God is very close to us. He hears our every prayer and answers them all, because He is deeply concerned about our wellbeing. He listens to us, and He speaks to us, too—in different ways. He loves being consulted about things and being included in our everyday lives, including in decisions we make, for He has made human beings so that we can be in close communion with Him. Because of this, one can consult with God as regards important decisions one needs to make and can expect to receive a reply from Him.
And so, whenever we aren’t sure of what course of action to take, we can turn to God in prayer and request Him to tell us what to do, and if we decide to do as He suggests, we can be sure that it would be the best possible decision with regard to the matter.
