Talking Myself Through the Hard Choices

If I’m being honest, making decisions is one of the hardest things for me. Not because I don’t care, but because I care too much. I want to choose the right thing. I want to avoid regret. I want to know how it’s all going to turn out before I take the first step. And when I can’t see the outcome, anxiety creeps in fast.

Maybe you know that feeling too.

It’s that knot in your stomach when every option feels risky. The mental spirals. The “what if I mess this up?” thoughts that keep you awake at night. I tell myself I’m just being careful, but deep down, I know I’m afraid, afraid of the unknown, afraid of loss, afraid of choosing wrong.

And yet, here I am again, standing at another crossroads.

I remind myself, we remind ourselves, that God never promised us full clarity. Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” That sounds comforting… until I realize how much I lean on my own understanding. I want guarantees before obedience. I want peace after the decision, not during it.

But anxiety shows up when I try to carry things I was never meant to carry alone. I replay every possible outcome as if I can control them by worrying enough. I can’t. And neither can you. God isn’t asking us to predict the future, He’s asking us to trust Him one step at a time.

When I look at Scripture, I notice something: nobody really knew what they were doing. Abraham didn’t know where he was going. Esther didn’t know if she would survive speaking up. Peter didn’t know if the water would actually hold him. They moved forward without answers, just obedience. Just trust. Just God.

I need to remember that God’s will isn’t a fragile puzzle where one wrong choice ruins everything. That thought alone eases my chest a little. God is gracious. He redirects. He redeems. He walks with us even when our decisions are messy. “The Lord directs the steps of the godly” (Psalm 37:23), not just the confident steps, but the shaky ones too.

The unknown still scares me, though. I won’t pretend it doesn’t. But I’m learning that what feels unknown to me is already known to God. He’s already there, on the other side of the decision, in the outcome I’m nervous about, in the strength I don’t think I have yet. I don’t need to have it all figured out today. I just need enough faith for today.

So when the anxiety rises, and it will, I’m trying to pause instead of panic. To pray instead of spiral. To bring God my questions instead of hiding them. He can handle my doubts. He isn’t disappointed by my fear. Sometimes peace doesn’t come from having a clear answer; sometimes it comes from remembering I’m not alone in the decision.

If you’re facing a hard choice right now, you’re not weak for feeling overwhelmed. And I’m saying that to myself too. God isn’t rushing us. He isn’t leaving us. We can ask for wisdom, seek guidance, and listen, and when it’s time to choose, we can step forward knowing He’s already there.

We may not know what’s going to happen.

But we do know the one who walks with us does.

Prayer

God, You see how heavy this decision feels. You know my anxiety, my fear of choosing wrong, my struggle with the unknown. I give this to You. Give me wisdom where I’m confused, peace where I’m anxious, and courage where I’m afraid. Help me trust You when I can’t see the whole picture. Remind me that no matter what, I am held by You. Amen.