Decisions, Decisions

1/6/2023

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 4th, 2023:
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

2 Corinthians
13.11-13

Brothers and sisters, put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Loud and clear, I hear this appeal that Saint Paul makes to the Church in Corinth: Put things in order.

He has just finished a long and detailed message to the people, addressing many issues and concerns, and pouring out his love and the Holy Spirit on them throughout.

For me, this is a call to make good decisions. God, in His wisdom, has given us the perfect example and tools to do just that – to live from a place of belovedness, referring to and meditating upon His Word, so that we might truly know Jesus and be helped and comforted by the Holy Spirit.

And there is no better guideline for making decisions than the great commandment, given to us by Jesus Himself – to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew 22:37).

Throughout my life, I have often struggled with making decisions. In the course of weighing options, I really didn’t know how to sort out which factors were the most important… and therefore never really felt at peace with choosing one road over another. Decisions that seemed to turn out to be the wrong ones made me doubt my discernment altogether. It has been a crippling place to be – and I’m so grateful for my faith for helping to heal these wounds and ease this doubt by showing me the path by which I can live life to the fullest.

We make so many decisions in the run of a day – and it is often the smallest of decisions that have a great impact. To cultivate the virtue of putting ourselves and our own desires aside for others is to grow closer to God.

I find this such a beautiful reminder to do my best to slow down, be intentional, and ask myself some questions: What are my motives for doing something (or not doing it)? Do I understand this issue enough to offer an opinion?
What assumptions, judgments, or emotions do I hold in my heart as I make this decision?

And the best part is that I also know that when, despite all my effort, I have reached the end of myself, that God, in His mercy and goodness, can make even wrong decisions into right ones – and this is the comfort and security in which I rest.

May God bless you, and every decision you make, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Amen.

Lindsay Elford

2 Comments

Lisa

1/6/2023 07:17:33 am

Making decisions is a constant struggle for me too. Most of the time I feel overwhelmed by too many choices, and despite my efforts to discern, I feel uncertain as to what is the best or right thing to do. This leads to a lack of decision making, or deferring to others to make the decision for me. It’s something I’ve struggled with for as long as I can remember. I am comforted by this reminder Lindsay:
“ And the best part is that I also know that when, despite all my effort, I have reached the end of myself, that God, in His mercy and goodness, can make even wrong decisions into right ones – and this is the comfort and security in which I rest.”

Alana

1/6/2023 07:54:15 am

This is the line that stood out for me too. “God, in His mercy and goodness, can make even wrong decisions into right ones – and this is the comfort and security in which I rest.” I find decisions hard too. Lord, help me to always see clearly the path You are calling me to - just the next step - that will draw me and others closer to You. Amen. 😊🙏🏻💕xo