Anxiety is such a relevant topic today, and it affects us all on some level.

The Apostle Paul had plenty of justification for feeling anxious. And yet, he is the one who said, “Be anxious for nothing.” He penned those powerful words in his letter to the church at Philippi …

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Who doesn’t want to live like this? It all sounds so wonderful and desirable. And yet, if we are honest, this is so difficult to do consistently.

How do you put Paul’s words into practice in real life? Most people experience high levels of anxiety whenever they are faced with an important decision. The weight of a pressing decision can rob us of peace and generate high levels of anxiety if not handled properly. Our mind starts racing. We feel overwhelmed. There is so much pressure.

Why is there so much anxiety around the topic of decision-making? One reason is we have so many options. We live in the age of unlimited opportunities. And with so many possibilities to choose from, people are afraid to decide for fear of making the wrong choice. When people are so afraid of making the wrong choice, sometimes, they will hesitate, procrastinate or become indecisive. Indecision becomes their decision.

In Acts 15, some of the first century church leaders had come together to help unravel some complicated issues that had come up in the New Testament church.

A recurring theme that keeps showing up in this chapter is the phrase “It seemed good …” In the New American Standard Bible, verse 15 says, “It seemed good to us, having become of one mind …” Verse 22, “It seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church …” And in verse 28, “For it seemed good to the holy spirit and to us …”

If you want to uncomplicate things when it comes to the most important decisions in life, begin by doing what seems good to you and to the other mature Christian around you. That is a great place to start when making difficult decisions. We’ll pick it up there next time.