Decisions and Grace

I hate making decisions.  I'm not talking about simple things like should I have an apple or a pear - I'm referring to those decisions that seem perplexing, confusing, and have gray areas.  I recently had a decision I had to make that seemed impossible.  It was a decision that no matter what I chose I was going to feel it was the wrong decision. 

Well, I made my decision based on what I felt G-d was telling me even though it did not feel right.  Even though I have cried many tears and it broke my heart.  And now the deed is past and I feel no better.  I've worried about the consequences; that maybe I missed G-d on this issue and found later that I made a wrong decision.  But this morning I heard a couple of verses of scripture that made me realize that G-d has grace to offer us as our Shepherd.  He knows our makeup; that we are human and really that we are dumb like sheep. 

I've been reminding myself of these verses all morning and they soothe my soul and spirit.  Perhaps you might scratch your head and wonder how these particular verses answer this need.  What these verses say to me is that my trust in the Messiah merits His grace and love that covers all my sins and missing the mark.  I don't have to always make the right decision.  I have to try and I have to let the Word guide me - but His grace fills in the gaps I miss. 

Think of parenting:  I have never met a parent who felt they were perfect parents or had never made many mistakes.  We have children when we are young and dumb.  We grow up with them really.  We aren't necessarily full of wisdom when we birth them - G-d's grace fills in the gaps.  Here are the verses.  I hope they minister to you too.

1 John 1:8 - if we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us...

1 John 1:10 - if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us

So I can have the freedom to go ahead and make those tough decisions with the best of my ability and understanding and always praying, "Thy Will be done."   Then I can rest in the assurance that as my Shepherd He goes before and behind me covering me with his Grace.  Instead of worrying that I missed Him and made a wrong decision, I can offer up a humble prayer of repentance so that His grace can flow from the throne and make me rise up with wings as an eagle and wait on His ability to restore.

Shalom