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How to Make Tough Decisions

November 6, 2019 By Jennifer H. Yates 1 Comment

6 Nov
How to Make Tough Decisions

A very wise woman once counseled me to turn down a volunteer position at church because it would take time away from my family, especially my daughter who was in high school at the time.

Mind you, she wasn’t saying that church service wasn’t important. I was already busy and serving in my church, teaching full-time, and involved in many after-school activities.

Her point was that I had only a few years left with Bethany at home, and that I should make the most of that time, since our role as disciple makers should begin with our own children.

God first, family second, then church and other ministries.

I didn’t listen. I wanted to appear spiritual and busy and important, so I agreed to the position. Looking back, I missed out on a lot of conversations and connections with my daughter because I was always busy.

Often in life we are faced with decisions that on the surface may seem simple or insignificant, but could in fact be life-changing for us or someone else.

How to Make Tough Decisions: Lessons from Rahab

Rahab was a woman faced with a momentous decision: Obey the king and probably be financially rewarded or hide two Jewish spies and probably be killed. From our view, we probably see it as a no-brainer because we know the story.

But Rahab didn’t.

“Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. ‘Go, look over the land,’ he said, ‘especially Jericho.’ So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.”

Joshua 2:1, NIV 84

The Jewish historian Jospehus and some other early sources identify Rahab as an innkeeper. The Hebrew word here indicates prostitute, as do the Greek in both Hebrews and James, so more than likely, she was both.

“The king of Jericho was told, ‘Look! Some of the Israelites have come here to spy out the land.’ So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: ‘Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.'”

Joshua 2:2-3

Rahab was faced with a great decision. She could be obedient to the king and maybe make a little extra coin, or she could hide the enemy spies and risk losing her business and her life.

How did this Canaanite woman make the decision to protect these two Israelite spies?

Rahab made the decision by faith.

“Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. ‘”

Joshua 2:8-11

Rahab confessed here that she believed in the God of the Israelites. She had heard the truth of what God had done for them, and in healthy fear of God, she believed. The God of Israel was more powerful than the so-called gods of her people, and she was ready to receive that truth.

God sent those Israelite spies to Rahab because He knew her heart. She was open to the truth and ready to act on it.

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

Hebrews 11:31

Rahab acted in response to her faith in the God of the Israelites. She may not yet have understood the covenant or the law, but she understood enough to respond in faith.

We don’t have to understand everything to follow God. Sometimes the things He calls us to do don’t make sense to our human understanding or our flesh. But He will grow us as we commit ourselves to follow His leading.

Rahab’s faith was demonstrated by her action.

James said that faith without action is dead (James 2:17). We express our faith in God when we follow Him in obedience even when we don’t understand or even when the cost is high.

“In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

James 2:25-26

Genuine faith will be demonstrated in action. But it will also be rewarded.

“But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho–and she lives among the Israelites to this day.”

Joshua 2:25

Rahab and her family–Gentiles–were given a place among the Israelites because she believed in their God by faith, and she acted on that belief.

As followers of Christ, we are given a place among the redeemed because we believe in Jesus by faith, and we act on that belief by choosing to turn from our sins and follow Him.

“A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers…Salmon the father of Boaz whose mother was Rahab…”

Matthew 1:1-2, 5a

And, like Rahab, we too will find our place in Christ’s genealogy as we become co-heirs with Christ and forever children of the King.

Maybe you haven’t quite been ready to receive and act on the truth that Jesus is Lord. You don’t have to understand everything or get your life together first. All you have to do is believe by faith that you (like all of us) are a sinner and that Jesus is the Son of God who died to pay the price for your sin.

Accept by faith what Christ has done for you on the cross. Make a decision to follow Jesus and trust that He will teach you what you need to know. Then get into His Word and find a good church to help you grow.

(Click here to find out how to have new life in Jesus.)

Maybe you are a Christ-follower who is faced with a decision that seems right on the surface, but something is telling you to go the other way. It may mean the loss of money, prestige, or power, but like Rahab, you feel compelled to follow God’s leading.

When it comes to making tough decisions, seek the Lord through prayer and His Word, seek the counsel of a mature Christian whom you trust, and then act on your faith in the one true God.

God may be calling us out of our comfort zone to do something scary. He may be calling us to give up something “spiritual” or something lucrative so we can focus on being present in our homes. Or He may be just calling us to Himself.

Whatever the call, let’s respond as Rahab did with both faith and action. He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Hebrews 11:9

Want to grow your faith by studying more women of the Bible? Click here to check out my book, Just Like Us: 7 Ways Biblical Women Were Just Like Us (And Why It Matters).

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Filed Under: Bible Study, Women Tagged With: Bible studies for Women, Bible study for women, Biblical Women Just Like Us, Christian Bible studies for women, Christian devos for women, Christian devotional for women, christian families, Christian ministry, Christian women, Jennifer H Yates, Jennifer Hayes Yates, Making Tough Decisions: Lessons from Rahab, putting family first, Rahab in the Bible

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About Jennifer H Yates

About Jennifer H Yates

Hey, friends! I'm Jen--wife, mama, and empty-nester. I love to write, read, and drink coffee, especially with friends.

I've found that many women struggle to find time and focus to grow their relationship with God through studying His Word. I encourage and challenge women with practical strategies and helpful resources for quality study in as little as fifteen minutes a day.

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We all have a place in the Kingdom. ⁠
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Click

We all have a place in the Kingdom. ⁠
⁠
Click link in bio to read post.⁠
⁠
#prayerwarrior #bedeeplyrooted #prayerispowerful #praywithoutceasing #christianpost #christianblogger #womenintheword #livewithintention #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #growingyourfaith #womenoftheworld #intheword #lampandlight #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus

"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an
"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel--the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:1-4, NIV).
All of Scripture, all of history, all of time has been about Jesus Christ, Son of God. 
Do you know Him? You can. His life, death, and resurrection are historical fact. All so that you could know Him and have eternal life.
Jesus loves you! ❤

"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee fo
"The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment" (Luke 23:55-56).
Can you imagine the horror these women had witnessed? Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others had followed Jesus and helped support his ministry (Luke 8:3).
Now all their hopes had been crushed as they stood at a distance and witnessed Jesus' agonizing death on the cross (Luke 23:49). His own mother had to stand by helplessly as her son cried out, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit" (Luke 23:46).
As we women often do, they looked for a way to still serve Him, even in His death, by preparing His body for burial. Sometimes, it's the little things.
When our hearts are breaking and we think we can't take another breath, sometimes we need something in our hands--a burial spice, a casserole, a text that says I'm here.
We can't make the hurt go away, but we can channel it into something useful, something hopeful, something comforting.
As they rested on the Sabbath, I'm sure they anticipated the opportunity to see Him one more time, to minister to Him once more with the spices and perfumes they had prepared.
Hearts crushed, hands open.
Grieved but grateful. Resting but ready.
Because if there was anything they knew for sure, it's that Jesus was no ordinary man. And when hearts are turned toward Him, anything can happen.

God never called us to “blind” faith. We may b
God never called us to “blind” faith. We may believe without seeing, but faith is being sure and certain of what we don’t see, not what we don’t know. ⁠
The Israelites had historical facts on which to base their faith. That’s why God constantly told them to remember what He had done and tell it to their children. Their faith was in what they knew to be true, even though they didn’t always see it with their own eyes. ⁠
We, too, have facts on which to base our faith. The Bible is historically accurate and verified. If ever we needed to know what we believe, it’s now.⁠
⁠
Click link in bio to read post.⁠
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#prayerwarrior #bedeeplyrooted #prayerispowerful #praywithoutceasing #christianpost #christianblogger #womenintheword #livewithintention #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #growingyourfaith #womenoftheworld #intheword #lampandlight #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus

It’s something I have a hard time doing. Like mo
It’s something I have a hard time doing. Like most women, when I do get still, my mind is still going 90 mph. I’m so distracted by all the preparations for the day. Sounds a little like Martha, who, by the way, is the one who invited Jesus over in the first place. But like Martha, I have felt the Lord’s gentle rebuke. He wants me at His feet. And really, that’s where I want to be. It’s not about time and focus. It’s about heart and desire. The rest will come. ❤️ #growingyourfaith #jesusfirst #wordbeforeworld #seekhimfirst #javawithjesus #womenintheword

Do you really want to grow your faith? What we fee
Do you really want to grow your faith? What we feed the most is what grows the most. 🍽️⁠
⁠
What are you feeding?⁠
⁠
Click the link in my bio to read this week's post.⁠
#prayerwarrior #bedeeplyrooted #prayerispowerful #praywithoutceasing #christianpost #christianblogger #womenintheword #livewithintention #shareyourheart #faithwriter #womenencouragingwomen #wordoflife #seekgoddaily #wordbeforeworld #jesusandcoffee #daughteroftheking #fiercelyhis #womenlivingwell #girlfriendsintheworld #faithblogger #givemejesus #graceupongrace #faithoverfear #seekhimfirst #growingyourfaith #womenoftheworld #intheword #lampandlight #shereadstruth #butfirstjesus ⁠


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