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Structure for Christian decision-making
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January 6, 2026We make decisions every day. Most of those decisions are minor ones, such as what to eat, which task to do first, what time to carry out an action, where to put something, or what to put in our next text message. However, at certain key moments along our journey, we are faced with major decisions that will affect the fundamental direction of our life. Those decisions can sometimes be difficult to make, and they can have a profound effect on many people.
Our Catholic faith tradition equips us for the task of making major decisions with wisdom and good judgment. This article seeks to present a basic process for decision-making that we can apply throughout our lives in a variety of circumstances.
1. Pray to God for guidance throughout this decision-making process.
We are not alone. If we are going to make good decisions, we must ask God’s help to choose properly. Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit would guide us to all truth (Jn 16:13).
2. Gather all the facts.a. A good decision needs to be well informed.b. In order to understand the situation as fully as possible, it is helpful to try to view the facts from the perspective of the other people involved.
3. What are your options?a. Explore the various possible ways of dealing with this situation.b. Do not exclude the possibility of doing nothing.
4. Consult with someone whose knowledge, honesty, confidentiality, and judgment you trust.a. Remember that a spiritual director or advisor can facilitate your own discernment, but they do not discern for you.b. Ultimately, you must discern for yourself according to the voice of God in your own conscience.
5. Consult with the wisdom of the Church.
Are there any Church teachings which relate to this situation? Here are some examples of where to find the basic principles of Catholic teaching.a. For many issues, you can find the relevant Catholic teaching in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.b. The Vatican website (vatican.va) is a reliable source for magisterial teachings found in papal documents, ecumenical councils, and canon law.c. For issues related to medical ethics, a helpful resource is the website of the National Catholic Bioethics Center (www.ncbcenter.org/ask-a-question).d. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church presents the authentic teachings of the Magisterium on matters of economics, social justice, and human dignity.6. Consult Scripture.
Does the Bible offer anything that would help your decision?a. Seek overall foundational principles, rather than less significant details.b. Some basic examples of scriptural guidance are the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:6–21, which offers the clearest, most direct statement of God’s moral law; the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7); the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46); and guidance from the Apostles, such as in Romans 12–13, Galatians 5:16–26; Ephesians 4–6, and 1 John 4:7-21.
7. Use your reason.
Ask yourself questions such as the following:a. What are the values at stake in this decision?b. What would be the likely consequences of each of the various choices on individuals, on relationships, and on the larger community?c. What is my motive in this situation? What exactly am I trying to achieve?d. What does this decision say about the overall direction of my life, or the sort of person I am becoming?8. Use your imagination.
Here are some steps that can engage the gift of your imagination to help you make progress in your discernment of the best choice to make:a. What advice would I give to another person faced with the same situation?b. How would I feel about this choice if my decision were to become public knowledge?c. Imagine being on your death bed, and ask, “What would I then wish my current choice to have been?”d. Picture yourself standing before God on the last day, and ask, “Which decision would I then wish to have made?”
9. Give it adequate time. Wait patiently if you need to.
10. Make a decision.a. Not to decide is ultimately to decide.b. Accept responsibility for your decision.
11. Live with the decision in your heart for a while before you act on what you decided.a. Do you experience peace and consolation, or unrest, disquiet, and desolation?b. In classic Catholic teaching about discernment, peace and consolation are indicators that a decision coincides with God’s will, and unrest, disquiet, and desolation are indicators that a decision does not coincide with God’s will.12. Act on the decision.
By including these steps in the process of making our major decisions, we allow ourselves to be guided by the Lord, who has given us these sources of guidance in his providential care for us.