Decisions, Decisions! 20 Questions to Gain Clarity
When opportunities come our way, we need to decide if we should or shouldn’t…even about good things! Even great things! We all have only 24 hours in a day, and the way we spend it is crucial. As a society we tend to take on too much! So a few years ago I put together a check list to help bring clarity in making decisions, specifically regarding taking on new opportunities (new job, 2nd job, volunteer job or even a time consuming hobby/activity). I have found that there is no amount of money or acclaim worth going down the wrong path! Even if you think the opportunity is too good to pass up, I strongly urge you to ask yourself the questions below. If you see that the opportunity isn’t lining up, you can trust that God has a better plan for your life!
Praise God, this check list has helped many people, and I pray it will help you gain clarity too!
20 Questions to Gain Clarity
My Walk With God:
1. Does this opportunity allow for me to spend time with God and continue growing in my walk with Him?
2. Will my relationship with God suffer or get better?
3. Will I still be able to make time with Him every day?
My Ministry (A Calling to Reach Others For Christ- Ephesians 4 & Matthew 28):
4. Will this opportunity increase my ministry or decrease my ministry?
5. Does this opportunity use my gifts, or at least allow me the time to still use my gifts elsewhere?
6. Will it be a distraction from what He has truly called me to do?
My Marriage:
7. Will it increase or decrease stress in my marriage?
8. Will there still be time to connect daily, have a date time weekly, and do a getaway yearly?
9. Can it bring us closer or move us in 2 different directions?
10. How will the increase or decrease in finances affect stress levels?
My Parenting:
11. Will I be able to be the parent God is leading me to be?
12. Will this opportunity create more energy in me or drain me of my energy?
13. Can I use the time I will have (when not at work/serving/doing) with my kids and really make it count?
14. Will I be too exhausted to give much when we are together?
15. Will the new structure of our schedule actually allow our time together to be more effective?
16. What exactly will I be missing while I am away from my kids?
17. Is missing those things worth it during this season?
My Motive:
18. Why do I want to take this opportunity, job, or service position?
19. What is truly motivating me to take it?
20. Is fear, obligation to please, pride, or looking for self worth my motivation? If so, reconsider! But if love, passion, humility or an overflow from what God has given me is the motivating factor, strongly consider it!
If God is calling us to a new opportunity, it will be of great benefit to us, our family and others.
Although nothing is perfect, I believe the things He calls us to do will fulfill us, and He will give us grace to accomplish them. If our walk with Him or our responsibility to our spouse and children suffers, it is not from Him. Ultimately glorifying God and His Kingdom will be the end result of choosing wisely, and that includes bearing good fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self control.
After thinking through the questions in this checklist, the most important thing to do is to pray! And if you are still lacking clarity, I highly recommend doing a fast. Fasting and praying has been the #1 way in my life to gain clarity. For more on fasting watch this: https://youtu.be/GzwIFyQbOIk
God is on your side, and He wants the BEST for you!
I pray that God gives you clarity and peace in your decisions! God bless!
If this was helpful to you, please share!