Di Bassinga Diaries: Make a Decision and Stick to It, But Hear Me Out...

I'm going to explore two seemingly contradictory ideas here with the aim of providing a mixed and balanced viewpoint: The importance of having an open mind (and being open to change) and the importance of making a decision (and sticking to it). We live in a world of an intense and abundant flow of information. In a matter of seconds, hundreds and thousands of people can share an opinion on Twitter or Instagram or in the YouTube comments; we, in America, at least, have the freedom to say whatever we want, whenever we want, on a slew of current events, ideas, celebrities, TV shows -- whatever you can think of, there is probably a space for people to talk about it. The danger in such a world is that it often becomes all too easy to subscribe to the thinking of those whose comments have the most likes on a social media post, or to a famous journalist, or a sports broadcaster, or even your favorite pastor. We often fall into a cycle of hearing other people's ideas and assimilating them as our own without a second thought. I believe that this is an issue for everybody to keep in mind -- Christians, Atheists, conservatives, liberals, amateurs, and seasoned professionals alike -- because a world in which we all subscribe to an oligarchy of thinkers, it can become all too easy to truly lose yourself.

Again, this is for people in all walks of life, including myself: Spend some time truly thinking about the other side of the coin. It's necessary to have a system of belief that you subscribe to -- I would wholeheartedly advocate for Christianity, I would not be where I am today if it weren't for my trust and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ -- but we shouldn't take everything that those systems preach and go on as we have before without ever thinking it through (especially if you plan on sharing or defending your thoughts and opinions). This is not to say "don't believe and trust in your faith or your systems", rather it's an encouragement to explore and discover your convictions.

That being said, in this world of abundance, it is just as easy not to make a decision at all as it is to subscribe to someone else's -- another dangerous place to be. I tend to fall into this category. I'm blessed to be in the position I am, my parents worked incredibly hard to provide for me, and my brothers, a life of opportunity and possibilities. For most of my life, however, I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself when I grew up, and there were more than a few points in time in which simply deciding to do 'something' would have benefitted me greatly. There's an interesting idea that I read the other day, here it is paraphrased: Make decisions quickly and confidently, and change them slowly if and when you do. It is imperative that, as often and continuously as you can, you aim at 'something'. If you want to run a nonprofit organization, or become a doctor, or become an artist, or a pastor or missionary, make the decision to do whatever it takes to get there -- and understand that the specifics of what that looks like will almost certainly change along the way, but you can (and must) adjust to those changes as they come along; it may even be the case that the big picture as a whole changes, and that's okay; we have to remember that, at the end of the day, God has the keys to our future in His hands -- we really have no control over the outcomes of the future. We live in such a place that provides everyone (in theory) with the opportunity to do whatever it is they'd like to do, whatever it is that would give them fulfillment and meaning in life (and even to get paid to do so).

I've made the decision to pursue the aim that Paul describes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:5 -- "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith." Neither of the two ideas I briefly explored are necessarily easy to act on, but I believe that working confidently outside of my comfort zone, and making the most of it while I'm there, will bring about much needed growth and change. I know that, along the way, there will be many instances in which I'm called upon to hear others out and consider what they offer, and others where I simply have to pick a direction. So my charge to all of you, as well as to myself: Make a decision and stick to it, but be prepared to think each decision through, and be willing to make changes when necessary. And above all else, trust the path that God has set you on.

Verses to Look Back On:

Proverbs 3:5-6, 12:15, 15:22, 16:9

1 Corinthians 10:31

Colossians 3:16-17, 23-24

James 1:5-6