Have you ever been in a situation where you have to make a decision that you know is significant and you have a choice? A crossroad moment. It is so easy to rush ahead without taking time to think it through. Sometimes what appears attractive can compromise who we are and what we believe in. Our principles can be thrown out of the window for money, fame and security. A crossroad moment may also be all about timing. If we have responsibilities we need to work out whether they can be met if we do a certain thing. It maybe chatting to those we love and seeing what they think and whether they support us. In the bible it says “plans fail for lack of counsel” (Proverbs 15:22). It is recognising people of wisdom that can help us as we look at what we should do. If people have a vested interest they are not always the ones to ask.

This morning I was chatting about a crossroad decision I have made in the last few days to a group from church. One of this group shared the following words from the bible “it is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices” (Proverbs 19:2). The verse before this says “better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than he who is perverse in speech and is a fool.” The verse after Proverbs 19:2 says “The foolishness of man ruins his way. And his heart rages against the Lord.”

Crossroad moments can sometimes bring us to the place of facing a past failure, or challenge, or fear. It maybe we then realise that we still have pain, anger, shame and bitterness in our hearts. As a Christian I believe that I am not alone in this and that God can bring his healing into my memories, my emotions and my understanding in time as I am honest and raw and real with him asking questions and praying that he will help me have wisdom. Sometimes the healing comes as we make decisions to be involved in things we had walked away from or be reconciled with people that had hurt us. Sometimes it is wise not to engage or revisit things or people we have known in the past.

A crossroad moment can come out of the blue and we have to make an instantaneous decision At other times we have the choice of deliberation and consideration. Sometimes the choice we want is not there and the only choice we do have is how we respond and look at the situation and what we do to help others impacted. There is a wonderful word in the bible that says “in my heart I store up your words, so that I might not sin against you”. Psalm 119:11. As we read the bible these words can help us in those crunch moments when we look for instantaneous wisdom and comfort in the heat of the storm to help us make choices. Some of these are in moments and periods of time of dark despair and crisis. One promise we have for sure is that God is with us at those crossroad moments and ongoing challenges. In our difficulties, in persecution, in questions and pain he is there with us.

The bible specifically refers to crossroads. In Jeremiah 6:16 it says “stand at the crossroads and look: ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” As you look and make decisions in the crossroad moments of your life may you know the good way and find peace in all circumstances.