Life is full of decisions.

Some are easy. Some are incredibly hard.

If you’re anything like me, though, I can make even the easy ones difficult.

I can never pick where we eat, what to watch or where we are going.

I tend to overthink.

I replay every possible outcome in my head. I ask myself what happens if I choose this path instead of that one. I wonder if I’m making the right decision or if I’ll look back wishing I had gone the other way.

One thing I’ve learned is that you eventually have to trust the decision you make.

Not because you know exactly how it’s going to turn out. But because you know you’re making it with the right intentions.

I’ve also learned that every decision teaches us something.

Sometimes it opens a door you never expected. Sometimes it closes one you thought would always be there.

Either way, there is usually a lesson waiting on the other side.

God gives us lessons all the time, but he seems to give us real good ones when we least expect it.

Another thing I’ve struggled with is wanting everyone to be happy with my decisions.

The older I get, the more I realize that’s impossible.

No matter what you choose, someone will probably disagree. Someone may even be disappointed. It does not make it any easier!

I’ve found peace by asking a couple of simple questions. Am I making this decision for the right reasons? Have I prayed about it? If I can answer yes to those questions, then eventually I have to stop worrying about every possible outcome and simply move forward.

I won’t always get every decision right. None of us will. But I’d rather make a thoughtful decision with the right intentions than spend my life afraid to make one at all.

The old “paralysis by analysis” quote fits pretty good with this.

You know what is a key to helping make decisions? Advice. Seeking advice. Find people you admire. People you trust. People who genuinely want what’s best for you. Ask for their opinion.

They’ve probably been through situations similar to the one you’re facing, and their perspective can save you from making a mistake or help give you confidence in the decision you’re about to make.

But here’s the hard part. Sometimes their advice isn’t what you wanted to hear. That’s when it’s tempting to get defensive or dismiss what they said.

I remember one time I asked my dad for advice on my swing for baseball when I was struggling. Boy did he give it to me — and boy did I flip on him. He responded with a, “son you asked me.”

If you only want advice that agrees with what you’ve already decided, you’re not really looking for advice.

Sometimes the people who care about us the most are willing to tell us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear. That is true love.

And those are usually the voices worth listening to.

My goal with these articles has always been to make you stop and think about the everyday moments in life.

So the next time you’re faced with a difficult decision, don’t rush it.

Pray about it. Seek advice from people you trust. Listen to your heart. Then make your decision…

And trust it.

Because even if it doesn’t turn out exactly the way you hoped, there’s a good chance God is using that decision to teach you something you couldn’t have learned any other way.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5-6