Sometimes, a piece of advice is given that one should “sleep on an issue.” This means to wait to decide on the issue until the following day, after you have thought over it at night.
We read from Luke 6: 12- 13 that the Lord prayed all night, it was the next morning that He chose his disciples. The passage: “ 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.”
It is intriguing that the Lord had been with the disciples for some time. Yet, when he wanted to choose the twelve apostles, He prayed all night before choosing them.
Often when we find ourselves trying to make a decision, we feel under pressure to get it done and over with.
In the sad story of Judas Iscariot, he felt bound by the desire to betray the Lord and earn thirty pieces of silver. He had reasoned it all out and was sure that he had it all wrapped up. He convinced himself that the Lord would slip off as He did in the past. Sadly, the Lord was arrested and was about going to be crucified. It then dawned on Judas, that he had betrayed the Lord. He then went on to hang himself.
One lesson to takeaway here is that we should not rush through a controversial decision. If we do, it may end up blowing up in our faces. Therefore, when the urge to decide knocks, we should learn to slow down or even dismiss it.
We could give ourselves twenty four hours at least to think things through and prayerfully weigh its consequences.
Also, in case of Judas, he was a thief as he helped himself to the apostle’s fund as the treasurer. Judas Iscariot “was a thief and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).
It was sad that in spite of all the warnings from the Lord, Judas did not repent. The Lord said: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The Lord also warned that “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
It is sad that in spite of all these warnings, Judas was bent on going on with the Lord’s betrayal blinded by his desire to earn thirty pieces of silver and refusing to repent of his sinful habit of getting money in questionable ways. He ended up committing suicide. “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy” Proverbs 29:1
In conclusion, we should not hurry to make decisions, give ourselves time to think on the issues involved. Also, importantly is it morally correct or questionable? We should not go on with it if it is questionable, we may save our lives if we do not.