If you’re feeling pressured to make a decision
Decisions start from the moment we wake up—like whether to hit snooze on our alarm or get out of bed. And they don’t stop there. We choose what to wear, what to eat, and things like whether to pack a lunch or buy it.
Each decision throughout the day seems to create pressure to make sure we’re making the “best” one. But through my study of Christian Science, I’ve come to realize that decision-making doesn’t have to be stressful. When I turn to God, good, and listen to Him, I don’t have to struggle to make the “best” decision, because I know I’m being guided by infinite good and infinite intelligence.
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This is the moment when I learned that: One night, I was sitting on my grandparents’ porch in the mountains listening online to a testimony meeting held by my church each week. This meeting gives those who attend an opportunity to hear inspiring readings and share our own experiences of spiritual healing.
I was faced with having to make multiple decisions, each of which felt like it had to be perfect. I wasn’t feeling at peace about any of them.
At the time, I was faced with having to make multiple decisions, each of which felt like it had to be perfect. I wasn’t feeling at peace about any of them.
I often overthink choices. Sometimes it’s little things, like what shirt to buy or whether to go out on a Friday night. And sometimes it’s bigger things that feel more overwhelming. Even when I ask others to help me choose, I can’t avoid the fact that it’s ultimately up to me. I wonder if I’m making the right choice and worry that I’ll regret what I’ve picked.
That night, the person leading the testimony meeting shared something that changed my perspective. They read this statement from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path” (Mary Baker Eddy, p. 254).
I didn’t need to panic about making the wrong choice. My job was to turn to God, be still, listen, and trust.
That helped me realize that I didn’t need to figure everything out on my own. I didn’t need to panic about possibly making the wrong choice. My job was to turn to God, be still, listen, and trust. The peace I’d been craving wasn’t going to come from knowing all the answers; instead, it came from knowing that I wasn’t the one responsible for coming up with the answers in the first place. God is all good and is already providing exactly what I need.
Since having that insight, I’ve approached decision-making differently. Before deciding, I pause and pray, silently affirming that God is all-knowing and that as God’s expression, I reflect His wisdom.
This shift has helped me feel calm, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Sometimes I still feel pulled in different directions, but I’ve learned that when I’m truly listening, I don’t have to force a choice. The right idea always comes, whether it’s as small as what to wear or as big as what college to attend. And I recognize that idea when I hear it because it comes with a feeling of peace.
Understanding that I am governed by God, not pressured by human opinions or uncertainty, has changed how I approach so many things. Christian Science shows us that we’re never out of step with divine guidance. We are always in our right place, with the right thoughts, because as God’s expression, we’re one with Him.
Decisions will keep coming. But now, instead of seeing them as a source of pressure or stress, I see them as opportunities to listen and to follow the path that God, Love, is already laying out for me. And that is a path I can always trust.