Everyday Living Archives - YMI

4 Ways We Can See God in Everyday Life

Contributor — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 02:00:36 +0000

Written by Justin Y, Philippines

I often go through moments during the day when I forget that God’s here with me, and it often happens when I’m doing “secular” activities—work, chores, hobbies.

One of my hobbies is listening to classical music, especially when I’m at work, to keep the dreariness of my job from consuming me. Occasionally, a beautiful piece comes up in my playlist—e.g., Vaughan William’s “The Lark Ascending”—and for a brief moment, I am transported to a different reality, one filled with grandeur and beauty. The wonderful music reminds me there is more to this life than what meets the eye, and I remember the One who created such beauty in the first place.

Moments like this make me realise, as Jacob did at Bethel, that the Lord is here, even though I do not know it (Genesis 28:16). It has moved me to acknowledge that He is always with me, no matter where I am or what I do (Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 139:7-10).

Being reminded of God’s presence moves us to turn our spiritual eyes heavenward, and to reflect on His steadfast love and faithfulness in our lives.

So, how can we “better see” God in our everyday lives? We can pray for that and anticipate that God will call our attention to Him.

Here are four ways we can see more of God:

1. Seeing God in creation

Whenever I see a bird perched on the windowsill, or see the sun shining from the window, or feel a light breeze on my face, I consider them as reminders of the Maker and the wonderful way He’s created all these for His and our pleasure.

Scripture says, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). He makes the grass grow (Psalm 104:14), sends rain in its season (Jeremiah 5:24), and prescribes limits to the waves of the sea (Job 38:10–11).

Beyond reminding us of God’s existence and power, creation teaches us to look to Him as our provider and helper. Jesus asks us to consider how God feeds the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of the field, so that we need not worry about what we eat or wear (Matthew 6:25–33). We can look to the hills and remember that the same God who created them is the One who helps us (Psalm 121:1–2).

I feel blessed to have studied in a university with a lot of green spaces. Whenever I felt anxious about an upcoming exam, I would study in areas close to nature to see birds hopping on the grass or the trees swaying in the wind, so I could be reminded that the Creator of the universe was there with me. It is He who is the source of all wisdom and understanding, and whatever the exam results may be, everything was going to be all right.

2. Seeing God in earthly gifts

While the natural world is a gift from God, we may sometimes feel it’s less personal, unlike the specific gifts God gives each of us—the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the roof over our heads, the skills and talents we have, our friends and family.

Whenever I consider the gifts I receive from God, be it a nice cup of coffee or a big scoop of ice cream, my heart overflows with thankfulness. These gifts show how God personally cares for us, and each gift reveals another facet of His goodness. Food and drinks could have been created dull and bland, consumed only for survival’s sake, but we enjoy a great variety of tastes and flavours from what God has created (and He’s given us tastebuds to enjoy these foods!). It was no surprise that in the wedding at Cana, Jesus did not just make any wine, but good wine (John 2:1-10).

If we enjoy the sweetness of honey and get energized by it, what more the sweetness of God’s Word (Psalm 119:103) and the spiritual nourishment we get from it? The promises of God in His Word are delightful to my soul; they give me the strength and courage to face the future.

If we enjoy the company of our close friends, how much more the abiding company of Jesus, our truest Friend? I’ve been blessed to have friends who are kind, loving, and compassionate, who stick with me through thick and thin. I thank God for them and how He has shown His grace through them, and I rejoice even more that Jesus is infinitely kinder, more loving, and more compassionate than I can imagine.

Our Father knows how to give us good gifts (James 1:17). While we may take most of them for granted, we should be more mindful of each gift and thank the Giver of the gifts we enjoy every day.

3. Seeing God in work

God has commissioned work for humans even before the fall (Genesis 2:15). Work was part of God’s design, which means it’s not just a burden. We each have our God-given vocation here on earth. For example, when we order a meal from a restaurant, we are blessed by the work of the farmer, the chef, and everyone else in between that’s involved in the process of producing the food. Through His providence, God can use our work to bless others.

My work involves managing the finances of a small business of around ten employees. On the surface, monitoring cash flows doesn’t seem to make much impact compared to other “grander” vocations, but I have learned that the Lord in His infinite wisdom assigns different magnitudes of work to each person according to His purposes. Even as I write this, I am preaching this to myself, and praying that I will get to see God more in my work and see work as more than just a means to earn an income.

As A. W. Tozer said, “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it.” I know that in my work, I am ultimately accountable to God, and every small work done excellently—the writing of checks or the double-checking of calculations—will not go unnoticed.

While work may often be unpleasant and dreary due to the fall (Genesis 3:17–19), we can rest assured that every work done heartily unto the Lord will be rewarded (Colossians 3:23–24). Whatever work we do, big or small, paid or unpaid, we know that our labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58) and we can look to Him for the grace needed for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).

4. Seeing God in trials

Trials and suffering are guaranteed parts of the Christian life (Acts 14:22), whether it’s bodily ailments, financial troubles, persecutions, or even minor inconveniences. These moments of suffering serve as reminder that this world is not our permanent home, and that our home is ultimately with God.

Whenever I don’t feel well, be it a migraine, nausea, or hyperacidity, I find comfort knowing that in heaven, my glorified body will know neither sickness nor pain. While these frequent ailments do feel frustrating sometimes, they have taught me to be more humble and more dependent upon the strength God provides.

Each trial is an opportunity to again trust God and rely on His all-sufficient grace in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). As we go through many afflictions, we are encouraged not to lose heart, given that an eternal weight of glory is being prepared for us, and its unseen reward is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16–18).

As we seek God more intentionally in our everyday, may we get to experience the joy of His fellowship. Behold, He is with us always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

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How to Quiet the Voices in Our Heads

Contributor — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 02:00:31 +0000

Written by Amy Isham, Australia

Amy Isham is a librarian with a PhD in Leadership and has taught undergraduate social science. Amy works at City Bible Forum as their Resource Manager, and is married to Pastor Luke Isham at St Kilda Presbyterian Church. In her vast free time, Amy enjoys reading fiction, drinking coffee, and gaming with her two children, Evie and Solomon.

“I should get up and do my laundry,” I think, as I watch a K-drama.

“I should get my steps above 6,000.”

“I should unsubscribe from that streaming platform I am no longer using.”

“I should go to bed earlier. I should wake up earlier.”

These are just some of the milder “shoulds” that pass through my head on any given day. As I was writing this, an AppleTV notification popped up on my laptop, reminding me that the movie I rented had expired.

I seem to live in a state of “want” too. I want more time. I want more energy. I want to wake up and exercise, rather than blearily reach for my phone and assault my senses with the dumpster fire that is Twitter.

The world we live in is full of nudges, reminders, and “shoulds”. Our friends want to see us, our passport is expiring, we need to see the doctor. Our floor needs cleaning, there are no eggs left in the house. We are eligible for a discount from the local giant supermarket, says our email, peddling us wares we don’t necessarily need.

There seems to be no time for silence, but even when there is, our thoughts fill it with worries, with memories, with things we forgot to do.

Uncovering an old treasure

Over the Easter break, my family and I cleaned out the garage, discarding old camping gear, kids’ school reports from five years ago, and Christmas cards from even earlier. In one of the boxes, I found something wonderful—a copy of The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, by the late Puritan pastor Jeremiah Burroughs (1600-1646).

In the days before phones, I carried this book everywhere I went in my handbag. I read it on buses, trains or while waiting for friends at cafes.

The book’s power had not faded in the 15 years since I last opened it. It was just as I remembered, a “box of precious ointment, very comforting and useful for troubled hearts, in troubled times and conditions” (a quote from the book’s introductory page).

Burroughs reminded me of three ways to quiet the voices that compete for my bandwidth:

1. Relish the fullness of God

Rather than expecting a natural desire in us to relish God’s fullness, Burroughs knows we are battling with the opposite response, and that’s being consumed with a sense of not having enough; of not doing or even “being” enough. We can so easily get caught up in the “shoulds”, the “must have” and “must do”, that we lose sight of the great riches of God’s grace to us.

To help us quiet these anxious voices in our heads, Burroughs encourages us to consider these things:

Consider: the greatness of the things we have and the [smallness] of the things we lack.

Ephesians 1:1-4 says that we have every spiritual blessing in Christ: 1) being chosen to be holy and blameless, 2) adoption as God’s children, 3) our redemption and forgiveness, and finally, d) the knowledge of His will.

Thinking about the spiritual realm is a great comfort when we are faced with having to change jobs, find a new flat, or find a medical specialist for ourselves or a family member. It reminds us that these earthly troubles are temporary and we have eternal blessings.

Consider: that God is before us with His mercies.

My son often asks me to pray that he has a “good day”. When I pray for his day, I also pray that he will have eyes to see the good things God gives him amidst difficulties. For him, a maths test is a bad day, but a maths test given by a teacher who cares that he succeeds in life is a good thing.

In the same way, a late train, a virus, or change at work can be for our good in ways we may not immediately see, but all come from the hand of a merciful God.

Consider: that others have suffered before us and are yet servants of God.

There are Christians across the world who have suffered—are suffering—terrible difficulties, yet God sustains and holds them. This humbling thought can make our lighter troubles feel less devastating.

Taking time to meditate on the fullness of God—as seen in all the ways He meets our needs—can lift us above our feelings of inadequacy, anxieties, and fears. The more we keep our eyes (and minds) on God and His mercies, the less room we’ll have to dwell on the nagging worries of daily life.

2. Contentment can be learned (practised)

The beauty of contentment is that it’s something we can “learn”, as the Apostle Paul describes in Philippians 4:11-12: “I have learned, in whatsoever state I am in … to be content”.

Paul sometimes had everything he needed and sometimes, well, he really didn’t. There were likely great times when he enjoyed safety and relative wealth, and (many) other times when he suffered immensely.

Yet he doesn’t claim that he didn’t notice the difference. He just knows that his “heart is fully satisfied” in either state.

I remember years ago, when I tried to explain the contentment I had developed and someone remarked that I was naturally content, I laughed uproariously, because I had so many worries and intense emotions. I remember being really excited about starting a new course of study, only to feel depressed when I saw someone had finished theirs. I’d be perfectly happy with my holiday at home until I see a friend on social media who is on an overseas trip.

But by God’s grace, these wants and worries have become quieter than before. Contentment was something I had to remind myself to practise, to stop myself from getting overwhelmed.

I cultivated contentment by reading a paragraph from Burroughs’s book whenever I missed the train, or that time when I injured myself and had to lie down. When I was filled with a desire for a different job, I reminded myself of the blessings I had at my current job. When I was single and longed to find someone, I reminded myself that I have God’s love that will outlast any earthly love.

We can learn contentment without suppressing our “wants”. And we can start right where we are—to hold them out to God and not let ourselves drown in them, and to seek delight and satisfaction in Jesus.

3. Let our dissatisfactions point us to God

Here is another secret of contentment, according to Burroughs: “The Christian is the most contented [person] in the world and yet [they] are the most unsatisfied [person] in the world.”

We’re “naturally” insatiable creatures. We eat a meal, and we are hungry again hours later. We have our hearts lifted by a friend but the high fades the next day when we see our bills. Even when we get to do a serious streaming binge, we still turn it off feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

Even if we were wealthy enough to buy all the pleasures and treasures we could want and healthy enough to enjoy them, we still wouldn’t be satisfied (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11), because our souls are designed to be satisfied in God. Only He can fulfil us.

This is why we still feel somewhat shortchanged by the dream job or by finally meeting a person we can love (I should know, I have found both).

When we remember this, we can stop expecting the weight loss to finally make us happy, and that finishing our degree will make us feel smart and capable. It means that when our parents still don’t say “I’m proud of you”, it doesn’t matter so much. It means that getting a cold before a long-awaited trip no longer seems like such a downer.

If we learn to hold the things we desire loosely and ask God to keep our delight in Him, we can enjoy the things He gives us without the great burden of expecting them to satisfy us.

The way of Christian contentment is looking to God who gives us His peace (John 14:27), and who provides for us despite the whirlwind around us. Cultivating contentment is a work of the Spirit and a continual journey of remembering Christ and forgiving ourselves for all the times we forget Him.

While earthly life is finite and fraught with challenges, we have the greatest treasure of all: we get to know the Maker of this universe—His delightful character is endlessly thrilling, surprising, and beautiful to our souls. We have Christ, whose forgiveness is great enough to swallow all our sins. And we get to look forward to a new heaven and earth that God has promised us.

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I Found Christ. Then Came the Darkest Season of My Life

Contributor — Fri, 26 May 2023 04:00:48 +0000

Written by Jensen, Philippines

It was like a scene in a romantic comedy—but not the feel-good part.

Picture the camera set across the street from a cafe with a brownstone exterior and a glass-panelled wooden door. It opens and two people walk out. They face each other for a brief moment and exchange a few words, which are almost too quiet to hear. Then they each turn back and slowly start to walk in the opposite direction.

I remember the day vividly from that perspective, which is weird because I was one of the two people walking away from each other. I remember thinking how dramatic it all was, even as I was processing what had just happened: we had just broken up, for good.

It’s got the bones of a familiar tale, especially for church folks. Boy meets girl; they fall for each other; a fundamental faith issue drives a serious wedge through their budding relationship.

In this story, I was the unbeliever, and she, the conflicted Christian caught between her heart and her faith.

But by the time we broke up, I had already been a Christian for a year. I had finally come to believe in Jesus as my Saviour after years of agnosticism and searching for answers. God had done His work in me. I was saved. What went wrong?

Starting things at the wrong time

Rationally, I knew the answer; we had talked about it many times over the years. Even at the start of our friendship-turning-into-something-more, she was already hesitant because of this core conflict.

In the Filipino church community, you’ll sometimes hear the word “evangeligaw”, a combination of evangelism and “ligaw”, the Tagalog word for courtship. It’s typically said in jest, but points to the serious pitfalls that occur when a believer and a non-believer start a relationship. It can turn into one person trying to convert the other, which isn’t a solid foundation for a relationship, and often results in frustration and eventually, a reckoning.

When we met, I was an agnostic seeking answers. Because of the baggage of “evangeligaw”, I tried my best to separate my spiritual search from our growing relationship, which is quite impossible to do when you’re starting to share the intimate parts of yourself with another person.

Even as our connection deepened, the doubt about my motivations never really went away. Over time, it became difficult for the relationship to progress further, especially to the point of introducing each other to our family and friends. It all boiled down to my faith—whether it was independent of her.

The fact is, she did play a key part in my faith journey. God did use her early on to nudge me towards the church that I would attend on-and-off over the years—where I would hear God calling out to me, and where I would eventually answer His call of salvation. She was someone I had serious spiritual conversations with, and someone I shared important milestones with, like the first time I really felt God’s presence while worshipping (the congregation was singing Calling All Sinners, which to this day remains one of my favourite songs).

While God’s call was all very real and true to me, neither she nor her family and community could be absolutely sure that my faith was genuinely just between me and God. And they could never be sure if we chose to continue in this relationship that began long before I came to the faith.

Keeping the faith against all odds

I sank into a deep depression after the breakup. I was also not doing well at work, and so could not find harbour in that aspect of my life. Those days were a blur. The only thing I remembered was the heaviness that muted all I experienced, an overwhelming sense of greyness to everything. Against that dreary backdrop, two memories stand out.

One was my discipleship group friend and a pastor at church reaching out to me. We met for lunch near my office. It was the first time I had really shared with anyone the depression I was going through. I remember thinking my meal was bland. I also remember appreciating how they just listened and empathised with what I was sharing.

Afterwards, my pastor shared a book with me—which I will admit, I never actually read. However, the title, Your Sorrow Will Turn to Joy, has stayed with me until today.

The other memory was a moment of introspection—a realisation of time passing and what my depression journey had comprised.

It was December of the same year, roughly five or six months since the break-up. I was at the usual Friday night Bible study with my discipleship group when I was struck with the thought that for whatever reason, I was still regularly attending our weekly studies, even though I had grown more insular and preferred solitude in general. Of course most weeks I wasn’t an active participant, preferring to keep my reflections to myself. But my life group mates didn’t mind. They respected the distance I had created when I was in a deep funk and listened without judgement when I did choose to talk.

That night was a turning point—not that anything major happened, but somehow, I began to see His grace in my life breaking through those dark clouds. God had kept me close to Him through my church community, despite my obliviousness to it. Even though I was aimlessly drifting through life, He kept me bonded with my life group and kept me fed with His Word even in my bleakest periods. He did not allow me to lose my way.

He who holds the reins held me fast

I found a short note I’d written around that time, and it still resonates with me today. Here’s an excerpt:

This morning’s message resonated with me—it was about the “Violence of Grace”, how grace often comes in uncomfortable forms. Forms that may not gel with the plan you envision for your life. And that’s quite jarring, especially to someone who’s always had an independent streak.

But it’s true. I can certainly hope that my plans go well, but more often than not they go “awry”. I put that in quotes, because while from my perspective, my plans seem to have gone off the rails- in reality, it’s Him who holds the reins.

I still find it painful to acknowledge that. Because there is a very human bitterness in having all this will and agency for steering your own fate in the world, and in the end, realising your will has been subsumed by forces over which you have no dominion. And yet. . . there is also a peace in that. . . in knowing that the one whose plans are definitive is the God in whom you can put your full trust.

Years later, I stumbled on a psalm that really encapsulated the grace I experienced:

Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs His love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:7-8)

I often reflect on the fact that it was only after I became a Christian that I encountered the darkest season of my life. Yet it meant I was able to cling to God in a way I could never have done before, depending on Him to be the God of my life, by day and by night.

I’ve since moved forward from the deep depression of those days, by the grace of God. Even as I’m still learning to trust Him more, I have personally experienced the depth of His love for me in the darkest valleys, and it carries me through more days than I can count.

As for that romantic comedy bit? It actually does get to a feel-good moment and a longed-for reunion, but that’s a story for another day.

The post I Found Christ. Then Came the Darkest Season of My Life appeared first on YMI.

5 Things to Remember When You’re Faced With Decision Paralysis

Madeleine Grace Scholefield — Wed, 17 May 2023 02:00:49 +0000

There’s a queue behind me all the way out the door. People are frowning, shuffling on the spot, trying to peer around me. I know I’m keeping them waiting, but I just can’t decide.

Lemon sorbet? Or chocolate crunch? Will I regret getting the tiramisu? How am I supposed to decide?!

Now outside, I put the tiny wooden spoon in my mouth and try to ignore the dry sensation on my tongue. Another wrong decision, I sigh. I feel like once again I’ve missed out on a “better option”, which is always disappointing.

You might be thinking, So what? It’s just gelato. But some of you might relate to that overwhelmed, panicky feeling when trying to make decisions in other contexts.

I’ve experienced many bouts of decision paralysis in my life—that feeling of being so stuck in between options that you feel genuinely paralysed. Whether this stems from a fear of missing out on the best option or of being told off for making a poor choice, I don’t know. Often, they’ve been quite inconsequential decisions, like which movie to see at the cinema, or who to pass the ball to during a game of soccer.

Then other times, I’ve found my inability to make a decision much more detrimental—like what to study, which job to take, and who to marry—which are all important decisions that would be wise for us to deliberate on.

But what do we do when we’ve prayed about it, written the pros and cons list, and we still can’t choose?

I’ve felt the indecisive horrors of decision paralysis in those big life decisions, but through each of them, I’ve learned strategies to help me face and overcome them in the future. Here are five lessons that have helped me:

1. Often, there is no “best” choice

I spent my final year of high school being peppered with questions about my future. What did I want to do with my life? What degree would I study? Blessed with endless options, I felt paralysed by the weight of that decision. I felt pressured to figure out God’s “will” for my life, and I worried that if I didn’t know what that was, I would be disobedient to His calling and “wasting my life”.

I journalled throughout the year asking God to make it clear what He wanted me to do. Verses like Jeremiah 29:11 circled round my head: “For I know the plans I have for you…” Great, I thought. So, can You please tell me what those plans are?

It wasn’t until my mum sat me down one day and said between my overwhelmed sobs: “Maddy, it’s okay. There is no wrong decision. You can honour God in whatever you do, whether that’s working in childcare, as a defence lawyer, a beauty therapist, or a surgeon. It’s not so much what you’ll be doing, but more about how you’re going about it.”

There are good and bad choices we’ll face in life, but there are often plenty of possibilities between equally good choices. And that’s the catch-22 of having free will—it’s up to us to decide.

I thought about what my mum said, and while it felt frustrating at first, I realised that this took the pressure off making the “right” decision. I found comfort in remembering that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He knows our hearts and is more than able to use our circumstances to make us more like Jesus—which is the goal of His working for our good.

And if I believe that God will work for my good, then I can trust that even if I do make a poor choice, my life doesn’t have to be defined by that one choice.

2. You can’t steer until you’re moving

As a captain of a missionary ship, my dad would often preach in different places. I loved hearing his stories, especially when he used his maritime knowledge as metaphors for faith.

“You can’t steer a ship while it’s stationary,” he’d say. “It has to be moving.”

I’ve found this principle to be true throughout my life. Often, making a decision is better than making no decision.

I started my university life studying for a double degree in law and arts. But, three years into the degree, I decided to drop the law degree and focus on the arts. Instead of worrying that I had “wasted” those years, I realised that they gave me the opportunity to work out what I was really passionate about—which I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t taken that first step of trying.

When I’m facing a decision where my columns of “pros” and “cons” are at a stalemate, I think of Proverbs 3:5-6: “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.”

I take comfort in knowing God will direct my steps as long as I’m submitting to Him and inviting Him into my decision-making process.

But He can’t direct me until I take that faith-step and start walking. So, instead of agonising over the right decision, I find peace in knowing that as I take a step in faith, He will “make my paths straight”.

3. Trust the people who know you

I almost got engaged to the wrong man. We’d been together for two years and were planning the natural next step of our relationship, but I felt paralysed by that decision.

So I went to my parents, my trusted mentor, and my closest friends for their honest opinions, and to my surprise, they all said the same thing: We actually don’t think he’s right for you.

I was fortunate to have people around me who were wise, prayerful followers of Jesus and who boldly spoke the truth, even when it hurt me to hear it. Where I’d been too close to the situation to make an unbiased decision, they’d helped me see things more clearly.

We see King Solomon reminding us of the importance of wise counsel in his proverbs. He writes, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22) and “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers” (Proverbs 11:14).

Inviting others into our decision-making process is more than posting a poll on our Instagram stories asking people to vote. We should seek advice from those who demonstrate godly wisdom in the way they live, from those who know and love us, and from those we trust and look up to.

Years later, I made one of the best decisions of my life: to marry my now husband, Matt, with the blessing and enthusiastic encouragement of those same people. My life would look very different today had I not asked for–and listened to–their advice.

4. Don’t “follow your heart”; follow the Spirit

It’s in hashtags, on mugs, and plastered all over campaigns: Follow your heart. It can be easy to get swept up in how nice that sounds.

But according to Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things”. How then can we trust our heart enough to follow it?

We follow the Spirit who is with us always. God gave us His Spirit because He knew that we’d need His guidance and discernment. To me, this means purposefully asking Him for wisdom, especially in light of decisions.

In 1 Kings 3:9-12, we see a God who is eager to give Solomon what he asks for. Solomon says to the Lord: “So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” And guess what? “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.”

As simple as it sounds, I often forget that I can ask God for His wisdom and discernment. Do you ask Him for that, too?

When it came time to make the decision about accepting my current job, I took it to God and asked for His wisdom. Once I had submitted the decision to Him, I felt prompted to take this job, and had peace knowing that was the Holy Spirit within me answering my prayer.

5. Lastly, look at past choices with grace

Last year, I left a comfortable job to try something new. The job I was leaving was great and I didn’t know much about the new one, but I knew I didn’t want to spend my time wondering what might have been, so I took the leap.

Several months into the new job, I started noticing unhealthy aspects of the team and work culture. My stress levels grew, and I regretted taking the job. That regret quickly spiralled into negative feelings about the choice I’d made. It took conversations with my counsellor and friends for me to stop feeling angry at myself, and to see the situation for what it was—yes, the new job wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be, but I couldn’t have known back then how it would turn out.

It’s so important to look back on past choices we’ve made with grace. This means I can look back on times when I feel like I’ve made the “wrong” decision and recognise that firstly, the outcome wasn’t as bad as I’d feared it might be; secondly, what I know now with hindsight isn’t what I knew when I made the decision.

After reflecting on my decision, I started looking for a new job and found a workplace that was a better fit for my values and skills. Rather than dwelling on regrets, I’ve learned that we can instead be thankful that the choices we regret now enable us to make better decisions.

Instead of going into all the “what could have been”, we can take heart in knowing that, as Paul says, our new selves are “being renewed in knowledge in the image of [our] Creator” (Colossians 3:10). The more we trust in Him and allow ourselves to be renewed in His image, the more we’ll be in tune with His will and His ways, making it easier to make decisions that glorify Him.

Like it or not, we will be faced with difficult decisions in life, but I’ve found peace in knowing that God doesn’t want me to be paralysed by choices. He gives me the free will to make my decisions, and His Spirit is in me to give me the wisdom and discernment I need.

I can trust that as I submit my decisions to Him and take the first step, He will guide me. And, if I’m stuck, I know He’s placed people in my life who can also help point me in the right direction. At the end of the day, so long as I remain in Jesus, there is no decision I can make that God can’t redeem and work for my good. Isn’t that a comforting thought?

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