Goals, Choices, and the Continuum of the Unknown.

Day-to-day decisions are often quite routine in nature. That doesn’t make those decisions easy, but their outcomes, are often predictable. It’s what I would categorize as “life decisions”, however, that aren’t nearly as clear cut. No matter the advice given, we know our journeys are being solely lived by us, which opens the doors to our own idiosyncrasies, preferences, and experiences with outcomes cannot be perfectly predicted.

As humans, we account for this unpredictability by creating rules and guidelines for navigating our lives. Our personalities, religious beliefs, and political ones’ influence what those standards look like. We then build our dreams on top of that foundation, adjusting as we see fit until we have what appears to be a perfect home. For every dream accomplished, there are dozens of half built homes surrounding them. Some houses are being built at a slower pace, other houses are bigger in nature, and therefore take longer. Sometimes we get into a good rhythm and strike magic, other times we accidentally burn it all to the ground. In all situations, there will come a point, or several, in which we ask ourselves, do we keep fighting for our dreams/desired outcomes, or do we change direction.

So what’s the right choice?

This can be a tough decision to make…do you keep the same end goal but choose an alternative path? Do you abandon it altogether in hopes for something better? Do you simply walk away realizing you wanted something that should have never been desired?  These choices may never be right or wrong. They could be better or worse. Greater or less than… all spanning the continuum of the unknown.  They are driven by fear juxtaposed with hope, deep seeded wants that somehow feel like needs. They are wrapped in our stubbornness and taped with our pride. They are courageous and cowardly mixed in with our basic humanity.

They are ours to own and to abandon. More than anyone else, we hold ourselves accountable for those outcomes, and because of that, our decisions at times, can feel almost burdensome. The weight is so heavy as we endure the rollercoaster ride of achievements and disappointments. Sometimes the weight is so heavy, we end up down a path probably best avoided. Be kind to yourself, but be honest. If not, you’ll end up like Jonah thinking you can hide from God, instead of facing your decisions.

Is it time to pivot?

It’s okay to know that some personal rules are meant to be broken. Certain dreams are meant to be abandoned so new ones can come alive. Some wants are upgraded to needs, and some needs turn out to be wants. It’s the human journey, and honestly, it needs a little flexibility. There is wisdom in knowing when to be bend and when to stand firm… when to keep moving in a certain direction, and when to scream “plot twist” and turn left. Maybes become nevers, and nevers become maybes. Let’s be clear however, that our values should never change – even when our situations do.

So then how do you know?

There aren’t a set of steadfast rules I can give you, but there is one thing I will say… and it’s annoying simple – PAY ATTENTION. God always leaves breadcrumbs, slices of toast, and occasionally the entire loaf of bread. He opens the doors of impossibility when you should keep walking forward. He shuts the doors that need to be closed. Don’t reopen them. Don’t try to knock them down. Don’t bother to ring the doorbell. Follow His lead. Be thankful for the blessings. Recognize the challenges, and most importantly, never be afraid of the plot twists… they make for better endings anyway.