“It turns out that choosing drains us. It takes energy.”

A thought by John Ortberg, (2015-02-24) from his book. All the Places to Go . . . HowWill You Know?: God Has Placed before You an Open Door. What Will You Do? (p. 116). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

It turns out that choosing drains us. It takes energy.

Steve Jobs

Choosing is hard work. Especially if it is an important decision. “So wise people”, John says, “shepherd their ‘choosing energy’ well. This is why wise people never make important decisions in a wrong emotional state.”

But too many times that is when we make our major decisions, after we’ve been dumped in a relationship, or when we are very lonely, or after we've had a difficult day at work. When I was a staff minister I had another Pastor call me about every Monday asking if I had a good day Sunday. He thought after a bad Sunday I might say yes to come to work for him.

John says, “Never try to choose the right course of action in the wrong frame of mind. Wisdom may well have you wait to make a big decision until you’re rested. An anxious mind and an exhausted body will lead to a terrible decision nine times out of ten. Paul says, ‘The peace of God, which transcends all [human] understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4: 7). If I’m going to make a good decision, I need that peace, that encouragement of knowing I’m with God.”

That is a great piece of advice. He also said, “Open-door people tend to simplify their lives so they can save their finite supply of willpower for the decisions that matter most. In monastic communities people don’t have to waste energy deciding what they are going to wear on casual Friday. John the Baptist, Johnny Cash, and Steve Jobs always knew what they would be wearing, so they could save their mental energy for more important issues.”

So how do these thoughts make a difference in today for you?

Comments

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