John 5:30 English Standard Version (ESV) “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Volition is the neurological process of the brain in decision making.

The more common term is self-will. The common definition does not take into account the variables of cognition, emotions, and memories. The common definition says I want therefor I will. The emotional need associated with volition is a sense of control, that we are making the decision and the outcome will be determined by our effectiveness. Nothing could be further from the truth.

None of us can calculate all the variables within the decision making process. Some of us react to the emotional aspect. Some react to the cognitive aspect. Some of just do what we have always done given the circumstance.

Philippians 4:5 King James Version (KJV) Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Obesity is prevalent is our society. Do you think that happened because we all eat in moderation?

How much biblical wisdom goes into our decision making process? Can we find practical real life applications from biblical wisdom? God has exampled for us every conceivable human mistake ever made and the consequences of those choices. Did we learn not to make those same mistakes or do we have to learn by suffering consequences?

Jesus surrendered His own will in favor His Father’s will. Do we seek God’s will for our lives?

Jeremiah 29:11-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Do our decisions reflect our beliefs?

Psalm 62:1-4 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹ For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.
² He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

³ How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
⁴ They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah

We are emotional people. We all have primary emotional needs. Here in Psalm 62 we see King David expressing one of the primary emotional needs, security. His expressions of security can be seen in the words he uses. Fortress, leaning wall, tottering fence, being thrust down, and being cursed are all signs of emotional insecurity.

Within these lines of verse we can also see spiritual security. David is confident within his soul because of his spiritual security. His expressions change with the introduction of forces outside his relationship with God. Verse 3 introduces a sense of being attacked by human will. His defenses, position and reputation are under attack from the world he lives in.

Security of the believer helps within the Kingdom of God but we live in the world and have to deal with all those other insecurities. Financial, physical, career, relational, health, environmental, and emotional insecurities can haunt us to the point of creating self-doubt and reacting from raw emotions rather than effective planning.

David uses the word Selah at the end of verse 4. It means a meaningful pause. We are encouraged to mediate on what has been said. David’s trust in the Lord came before his concerns of the world. It is reasonable to believe that God is on our side and will help us in these trying times. The basic truth about that help has to come from our use of His Word to direct our lives in the first place.

Do we use the Word of God to direct our lives?