We constantly need to make decisions. Many of these seem small and insignificant, others big and important. But we want all our decisions to be right. We want them to bless ourselves and all concerned.

In trying to achieve this goal we may find ourselves plagued by suggestions of indecision. This is not a happy state of thought. In fact, we might be inclined to agree with someone who once offered "indecision" as one of the definitions of hell.

Why does decision-making present a problem? Why is it sometimes a trying and unpleasant experience? One factor may be the element of doubt—the concern that we may make the wrong decision and suffer the consequences. And what is the source of this concern? Isn't it fear—fear that something other than good will come into our experience?

Sometimes we feel impelled to ask for advice from others. We may think that those we turn to can guide us to a right solution because of greater knowledge or experience or because they can view the situation more objectively. This may be true, and we may find that our consulting with others has shed new light on our problem. But in all this there is a danger to be guarded against —the danger of allowing ourselves to be influenced erroneously by human opinions. Also, we may be dodging the necessity of making our own decisions, which is what we must ultimately do.

In Miscellaneous Writings Mrs. Eddy describes her experience with the temptation to rely on human advice. She says: "Two individuals, with all the goodness of generous natures, advise me. One says, Go this way; the other says, Take the opposite direction! Between the two I stand still; or, accepting the premonition of one of them, I follow his counsel, take a few steps, then halt. A true sense not unfamiliar has been awakened. I see the way now. The guardians of His presence go before me. I enter the path."  ^{Mis., p. 347;}

As is true with all our problems, we gain the true solution by turning wholeheartedly to God, as Mrs. Eddy was accustomed to do. By acknowledging that God, the one divine Mind, governs His man and His universe perfectly, we get a clearer view of things.

We can know that the divine Mind is not indecisive and confused and that neither are we as the expression of this Mind. This realization can result in a quick unfoldment as to the right action to take. But if this is not the case, we can wait with true patience for the right answer to be revealed to us. Mrs. Eddy assures us that "when we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path."  ^{Science and Health, p. 254;}

Whether it comes quickly or slowly, what kind of an answer do we want? We need to be strictly honest in answering this question about our motives. Mixed motives account for much of any seeming confusion or indecision. When our motives are pure (unmixed or unadulterated), the way is prepared for making right decisions. Christ Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."  ^{Matt. 5:8:}

Transcending all other motives, and present in every decision, should be the desire to see God's will prevail. Why do we want to see God's will prevail? Because we know that this will assure that all affected by the decision will be blessed.

How do we find out what God's will is? Through prayer—the prayer of right desire and humble listening. Mrs. Eddy says in Science and Health, "Desire is prayer; and no loss can occur from trusting God with our desires, that they may be moulded and exalted before they take form in words and in deeds."  ^{Science and Health, p. 1;}

One of the things honest prayer does is to uncover human will and its intentions. Human will represents all that is opposed to God's will. It is based on the belief that man has a mind separate from God and that this mind can promote its own selfish interests. It often takes the form of limited human outlining. One of the ways to recognize human will in our decision-making is by the suggestions of fear that attend it. Conversely, God's will can often be recognized by the absence of fear.

We can make our decisions without fear when we make them with the assurance that we have done our very best. Then we can trust God to take care of the results of our prayer and effort. We can make our decisions with the conviction that we are guided by divine intelligence and protected by divine Love.

Another important factor in making right decisions is the quality of the life we live from day to day. It has more to do with our decisions than we may realize, for there is a tendency to believe that what we say and do at the time of making the decision is of paramount importance. We sometimes fail to realize that what we do at the moment of decision is the outcome of what we are. And what we are is determined by how closely we have been walking with God in our daily lives.

Consider the decisions made by Christ Jesus. In view of the way he lived, so loyal to God and to his true selfhood, could he have made other than great and wise decisions? For example, when he was tempted of the devil in the wilderness, his decisions were wholly consistent with his character, his true nature. And, likewise, it was the natural outgrowth of Mrs. Eddy's life for her to decide to write the textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health and to found her Church and the Christian Science periodicals.

As we live more Christlike lives, we find our decisions of higher and wiser quality. As we are more obedient to God's will in all our affairs, we are more alert to His guidance and protection in making our decisions.

The best decision we can make is to be lovingly obedient to the will of God. The lesser decisions will be satisfactory and right if we follow through on the major one—to love God and keep His commandments. Christ Jesus made this beautifully clear in his Sermon on the Mount: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." ^{Matt. 6:33.}