And decisions are significant. Sometimes even little decisions are like the hinges that let a giant door swing—they seem so small but can completely change the direction of your life.

When I was in college, I decided at the last minute to go to a meeting. I arrived late and sat in the back row. The only other person in that row was a woman named Kay. After the meeting, I asked her out on a date. And eight days later we were engaged. A seemingly insignificant decision shaped the direction of my whole life.

Since decisions matter so much, we must be wise in how we make them. The book of Proverbs says: “If you want better insight and discernment . . . learn the importance of reverence for the Lord and of trusting him . . . He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time” (Proverbs 2:3-5, 9 TLB).

How do you listen to God when making a decision? Look at his Word. I like to call this the Ideal Test. Do your decisions and actions line up with God’s will? Are they in harmony with God’s Word?

You have two choices about who your ultimate authority will be: the world or God’s Word—what other people say or what God says.

If you base your decisions on current popular opinion, you’ll always be on shaky ground because culture changes every day. On the other hand, if you base your decisions on God’s Word, you’ll have a solid foundation because his truth never changes.

Recently I went up into the attic of our house. The attic light had burned out. I was walking around in the dark and kept bumping my head. “I need a flashlight,” I thought. Sometimes when you’re making a decision, you may feel like you’re bumping around in the dark. Fortunately, God’s given you a flashlight: the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV).

And when the light of God’s Word makes your choice clear, just obey—even if you don’t understand. I don’t understand electricity, but that doesn’t stop me from turning on lights and watching my television. I don’t understand the physics of internal combustion, but I still drive a car.

You don’t need to understand why God says what he does in the Bible to benefit from it. You just need to obey his instruction and follow his principles. He gives his instructions for your benefit, and you’ll be blessed as a result of following them.