Should I or shouldn’t I? Do I go or do I stay? Is God calling me to do this or to do that? Those are questions probably most of us have asked from time to time.

I remember once when I was in a pastorate that had sucked me dry. I had sought to get out and the time was finally here. I had already interviewed and preached at a church and had been asked to accept the call to pastor that church. I asked for a couple of weeks to pray. In the meantime, I had already had an interview lined up with another church just in case church #1 didn’t work out. So I went ahead and interviewed with church #2 and found them to be wonderful and engaging and seemingly eager to break out of their mold. I was unsure and said something to a friend. He said, “Bill, take church #1. They have already extended a call. Plus even if it ends up being the wrong choice, God won’t abandon you.” He was right. I did. And church #1 did end up being the right choice for several reasons.

We often work ourselves into a frenzy or get frazzled trying to figure out “God’s will” for a certain situation. Should I or shouldn’t I? What choice? You know the questions. In his devotion book Good Morning, Lord…Can We Talk? Chuck Swindoll gave four great suggestions we should consider before taking a step of faith:

1. Be sure it’s the Lord who is speaking.  We ought to make sure it is not just our wish or someone else’s for us.
2. Be sure the decision doesn’t contradict Scripture. To leave a good, honorable, stable job to manage a porn store, for example, is not the right choice.
3. Be sure your motive is unselfish and pure. Motive. Motive. Motive.
4. Be sure the “leap” won’t injure others or your testimony. See #2. I think it would be wise to seek counsel and most definitely the “go for it” from those close to you.

Those are some good suggestions. I wish I had had them when I was trying to make that decision back in 1984. I now know it most certainly was the right one, but I could have saved a lot of unnecessary questioning back then. Not that either one would have been wrong, but church #2 never again did contact me. (Later one of the couples involved in the interview apologized. I don’t think they were thrilled how it went down). 

“Father, thank you for freedom of choice. As I choose-big or little-may the choices I make be Your desire for me. Open my eyes to see Your leading.”