Life is full of decision making, and sometimes we know that the choices we make are the right ones. Other times we look back and feel as if a choice we made was a mistake. I have found that when it comes to making a choice about something, it’s always best if I take the time to pray about it first before making a final decision. Sometimes there is also an advantage of talking with someone you trust and getting their advice. Weighing the pros and cons is also helpful, but the fact is, once we’ve made a decision, there is no way we can know for sure how things will work out once we’ve made our choice. The important thing is how we deal with our choices even if we feel they were not thought through properly. Even a wrong choice can work for our good if we pray about it and ask the Lord to use it for His good.

How about you? Have you made any choices that you later regretted? How did you make the best of those decisions, and perhaps, even learn from them?

In the Book of Psalm, verse 46:10, it says, “Be still and know that I am God.” I cherish those words. They mean so much to me. In all honesty, it’s hard for me to be still. I’m a doer, and since there is always so much to be done, I’m normally on the go. Even so, I am aware of the importance of spending some quiet time each day, and being in the presence of God makes it even more special. When I find a place to sit and be still, it’s often outdoors, weather permitting. If the weather is not cooperating, then I like to sit near a window where I can look out and see what things are growing in our yard.

While being still and focusing on God and His beautiful creation, I will often read from my daily devotional or a passage from the God’s Word.

Do you take time regularly to be still and think about God and all that He’s done for you? If so, where do you like to be during this time of renewal?

When my husband was hospitalized a few weeks ago, he gave me his watch for safe-keeping. Somehow, I guess in my shock from learning of his heart condition, my mind went blank and I couldn’t remember where I had put the watch. I looked in my purse, my coat pockets, and in every bag we had taken on our overnight journey to the hospital that is three hours from where we live. Nothing. No sign of the watch anywhere, and no memory of where I’d put it. All I could think to do at that point was to promise that I would buy him a new watch.

After searching for two weeks, I finally I did what I should have done in the first place. I prayed about it. A few more days went by, and I continued to pray. Then, the other day, upon entering our bathroom, I spotted my cosmetic bag lying on a bench. I was sure I had looked in there before, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to look again. The small front pocket of the quilted bag has always been reserved for things like cotton swabs, shower caps, and smaller items that need less room. What I found inside that small pocket was my husband’s watch. What a pleasant surprise! I was almost certain that I had looked in there before. If I had, then I’m guessing I must have only searched in the larger portion of the cosmetic bag and hadn’t bothered looking in the smaller section.

How about you? Have you ever lost an item and prayed for guidance to finding it? Did it stay lost, or did you eventually find what had been missing?