Decisions, decisions

I'm discovering I have great difficulty in my life when it comes to making big decisions. I tend to overspiritualize everything. I'm so afraid to make the "wrong" decision that it takes me months to figure out what I should do. I pray and fast hoping for some sort of sign from God and then when I don't see writing on the wall, I freak out and end up making no decision at all.

When it comes to shopping or what beverage I should order at Starbucks I have no problems. I don't see the point in trying on 20 pairs of jeans and taking an hour to decide which ones make my butt look best. If I don't find something I want in a store in under 20 minutes, I'm usually out. It's not worth the time and I don't leave upset and in turmoil over the fact that I didn't choose anything.

However, it's the bigger things that stump me. I'm not really implying that I should treat big life decisions like a pair of jeans and pick something in 20 minutes, but shouldn't it be just a bit easier than I make it? Maybe God just wants us to pick something and get on with our lives. Maybe everything isn't as spiritual as I make it and I should just go with what feels best. People in the Bible had it so easy. God did actually write on walls, or send 10ft angels, or send a prophet to your front door.

I was watching "The Preacher's Wife" on TV the other day and I sent a little prayer up to the Lord. I said "Lord, if you're not going to send me an angel with specific instructions about my life plan, then can you just send me Denzel Washington?"

So what's the verdict? Roll the dice and just go with what feels right, or wait for writing on the wall that may or may not come?

God and Darwin

Newsweek had a fascinating article about Charles Darwin this week. I learned a lot that I didn't know about him or his theories (blame it on bad high school science teachers). Darwin was actually planning to go into full-time ministry before he went on a little boat trip and visited the island of Galapagos (with the turtles) and made all his discoveries about natural selection. After writing his book and announcing his theories about evolution, Darwin eventually fell away from his beliefs in God, not only because of his theories that he believed precluded the existence of God, but also because of personal tragedy in his own life. He asked the quesiton that we all ask, at one time or another, if God exists, why does He let bad things happen? His own daughter died at the age of 10 from illness and Darwin eventually died a non-believer.

The Christian Church has been at war with Darwin and his theories for the last century, the most well-known battle fought over whether children should be taught evolution as part of their studies in public school versus theories of intelligent design. They (or should I say we?) have villanized the man and made it a religious freedom issue.

How important is this issue? Can one believe in evolution and still be a believer in the one true God? Did Darwin go to heaven? Can I be a Christian and still totally deny the truth of certain parts of the Bible? Our salvation is supposedly based on our faith in God and His son, so is it possible to still have faith and false beliefs? Can they co-exist?

A. W. Tozer said "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. ... Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God." Is what we think about God central to our salvation though?

Thoughts welcome. :o)