Decisions, Decisions!

Have you ever made a decision with good intentions, but later regretted the decision you made?  Join the crowd.   Now think of all the decisions you have made in your lifetime, and how many of those have left you wishing you had decided differently?

According to some statistics I read this week, there are many bad decisions which are common to a majority of the people.  And the decision leading the list........Saying yes when we should have said no.  You may be thinking now of saying no to drugs, or alcohol, or domestic arguments, or any number of things, and while we probably all agree those are some good times to say no, let's look at another angle.

A young businessman comes to town and immediately goes to work in getting his business and himself known and recognized.  That's not a bad business strategy.  The man is then asked to join and civic club, a booster club, a neighborhood watch group, a men's chorus, and a few other worthwhile and enjoyable organizations.  Before long he realizes he is saying yes so much, he has no time for his family, not to mention his church.

Michael Hyatt has a new e-book this week in which he mentions the necessity for many of us to re-learn the word no.  He relates in the book that he found himself agreeing to attending meetings and accepting projects way too often when his plate was already filled with other commitments to which he had answered yes.  Here is a quote from the book:

If life came with a rewind button, what decisions would you go and edit?

While you are thinking of the decisions you would change, let me remind you of the challenges we face when we say yes to some worthwhile groups or individuals to the extent we have no time left to say yes to the work of God in our churches.  Why is it that only about 14% of the church membership does 97% of the work of the church?  I don't know how many of you would answer that, but the obvious answer given is, "I don't have enough time to take on another project." 

That brings another question, "Do you suppose you may have been saying yes to so many things you have to give a no answer when asked to serve in some way at church?"  I challenge you to think and pray about these decisions.

Now, one more thing, we need to be cautious, even in the church, when we volunteer for every project or task that comes along, only to learn we are spread so thin in the things we have agreed to do, we cannot possibly devote the time and effort necessary to succeed at any of them.   Yes, even in the church when we are successfully functioning in some area of the church's work and ministry, we need to make sure to say an occasional no if asked to take on something that would bring neglect to the effectiveness we are already realizing.

Again, I challenge you to do some serious thinking and praying about the decisions you make.  Leave some time for work, some time for relaxation, some time for your family, some time for your church, and some time for helping others.   You will be greatly blessed.  To God be the glory.

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