Safeguards in Making Decisions

Decisions are often a struggle for all of us, with so much to do, so much to overcome, so much to decide. Sometimes our stubbornness enters in, sometimes our pride, sometimes our appetites, sometimes our ignorance. Decisions of ignorance are among the most frightening. “To choose, it is first necessary to know.” Among the foremost safeguards in making decisions is first to get the facts, and not to let ourselves, if possible, suddenly come upon a decision unprepared. Of course, there are times that require sudden decisions. For these the answer also is all possible preparation, and alertness, with no dulling of the senses to make ourselves susceptible to accident or slow reaction. Besides decisions of ignorance there are decisions of defiance—decisions when we know the rules, the commandments, when we know the right and the wrong but ignore what we know, and fail to heed the warning sense within us, fail to stay with our standards. Decisions in defiance of standards are among the most heartbreaking and lead to greatest regret. There are other decisions also for which for which there isn’t any easy answer: personal problems, problems of mind and emotion. One safeguard in making decisions is to seek the counsel of competent people, and to confide in family and trustworthy friends; and prayerfulness seek the counsel of our Father and unfailing Friend. These then are sources of assurance and safety in decision: to know all we can, to be prepared, toe get the facts; to have standards, to stay with our standards; to refrain from anything that would dull our senses or impair our judgment in sudden decision; to seek counsel from competent people, to confide in family and trustworthy friends; and to seek prayerfully guidance, comfort, and help from our Father and Friend.