A few months back, I read one the most practical books on decision making that I have ever read.  The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley is an inspiring insight into a universal principle that exists in decision making.  Whether you want to be or not you are headed toward a specific destination. All of life’s choices head toward a determined destination.

You are the sum of your choices in life.

You are where you are right now because of the choices that you made.  You can try all you want to live a detached and care free life but you are still headed in a direction. God gives us the freedom to make those choices but through His word he has given us guidance and help.

Andy also talks quite a bit about good intentions. Good intentions can cloud our view if we are not careful. We mistakenly believe that if we mean well or have a good heart that somehow things will turn out all right in the end even if we make bad decisions. Watch this short video below as I explain the Principle of the Path in more depth.

If you cannot see the video, watch The Principle of the Path directly on YouTube.

Good intentions actually cause us to deceive ourselves. Be vary careful about leaning upon good intentions. Can God take a mess and turn it around for his good? Absolutely! However, He has given us a His Word that outlines for us how we should live.

Overall, I found the book to be very insightful and encouraging. The motto of the The Principle of the Path is: “Your direction determines your destination.” I believe that to be true indeed. There is a  prayer that Andy mentions in the book. This is a prayer that he prays over his wife and kids on a regular basis. We have adopted this prayer as well for our family.

“Lord, help me to see trouble coming from a far way off, give me the wisdom to know what to do, and the courage to do it.”

Get It Done Task – Examine Your Daily Routine

The first step is for us to have “self-awareness.” By self awareness I am referring to looking at your current daily routine. Are your daily actions (not intentions) in alignment with the goals you want to reach?

If your answer is no, that is okay. In the next two modules of this course, we are going to help you turn your “intentions” into a daily routine. For now, I want you to get this truth down deep in your soul:

“Your direction – not intentions – determine your destination.” -Andy Stanley