Decision Fatigue Got You Down?

If you had told me a few months ago that in addition to my reusable grocery bags, I’d need a mask to go into Aldi, I would have said that you were nuts, but here we are. As parents, we have been faced with a barrage of new and difficult decisions over the past few months ...

Do I feel safe sending my daughters back to daycare? Is it ok to play at the neighborhood playground? Can you actually use too much hand sanitizer? I’m a peacemaker by nature, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to try and make everyone happy. Add in a dash of perfectionism and it's a perfect storm of anxiety and decision paralysis.

I love my kids and want to do what's right for them, but lately I’ve found myself feeling exhausted, drained, and questioning my own judgement. And I don’t think I’m the only one … So what do we do when we feel anxiety rising around a decision? 

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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.” 

If you’re anything like me, reading these words just once isn’t enough. I need to write them on my mirror, stick them on a post-it in my car, set them as my phone background. Because when we bring our fears and questions to God, he will give us peace.

“My value and worth don’t come from always making the best choice. My value comes from God ...”

When my eyes are fixed on God, he reminds me of his grace. There is grace when I can’t decide if it’s the right time to send my daughters back to preschool. There is grace when I decide that going to Disney isn’t the right choice for my family, and I have to disappoint my 4-year-old daughter. There is grace when I take my kids to visit their grandparents, and then spend the next week worrying about all of the “what-if’s.” Because of God's grace, I am more than the decisions I make. My value and worth don’t come from always making the best choice. My value comes from God, and there is freedom and peace in that truth.

Dear parent, if you feel drained or at a loss for words, would you pray this prayer with me?  

“Lord, I praise you for being the God who hears my prayers. My heart is heavy with the weight of making these decisions for my family. Lord, give me discernment to hear your voice through the noise in the world around me and in my own mind. Give me peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” 

Brooke Shoopman is the Children’s Ministry Director at our Lake Mary campus. You can contact her at bshoopman@summitconnect.org.