Our life is full of choices: some regular and daily (but not less important) other extraordinary and that last a lifetime. Life is full of hard choices and the bigger they are and the more options they have, the harder they get to make.
Most of the times, our choices and our decisions are not made in a vacuum. More often than we like to admit, our choices and decisions, affect those around us in ways we cannot always predict and foresee. Many times our choices can affect others in positive ways but also in negative ones and for this reason – if we want to behave in a mature way and not just selfishly – we ought to ponder the consequences of our choices. Also as Christians we should never forget how the Lord can guide and accompany us in our decision-making process. God will never make a choice for us. He loves and respects us too much to do that the choice will always be ours, but the Lord can provide guidance and wisdom.
As young Christians of the World we should always remember that the common good and the “Do not harm” principle should be the guiding rules when making choices that may affect others. Moreover, as Christians, the good of our brothers and sisters is always of paramount importance and should not be sacrificed for one’s own gain, no matter what.
Decision-making is more difficult when it involves a painful choice. Sometimes, the right course of action will hurt us or even others in some way. What to do next? The right choice, the right decision, for ourselves and/or for others is not always the easy one, but our faith, our maturity, our humanity will lead us in making the right decisions.
Some other times, the choices we make are for us and for us only and sometimes – in this case- we are never sure if we are making the right one. What to do then? Whatever process and reflection we use to arrive at our decision, our satisfaction with our decision will depend largely whether we claim ownership of our choices.
If we feel pressured into a choice or not in control of the conditions, we will find even positive outcomes coloured negatively. On the other hand, taking full responsibility for our choices can make even a failure feel like a success: we know we did our best and we have gained valuable experience for the next time.
