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The Bible Breakdown
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The Bible Breakdown
Ecclesiastes 11: Paralysis By Analysis
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of choices life throws at you? In this episode of the Bible Breakdown podcast, Pastor Brandon explores the concept of "Paralysis by Analysis" through the timeless wisdom of Ecclesiastes 11. We dig into how the younger generation's countless options can lead to anxiety and inaction. Drawing from Solomon's teachings, we compare the constrained choices of past generations to today’s abundance, illuminating the necessity of keeping perspective. Join us as we use the analogy of a farmer planting seeds despite uncertain weather conditions to underline the importance of taking action and moving forward with faith, even when the path isn't clear.
In the second part of our episode, we shift our focus to Ecclesiastes 12:13 and the profound significance of living a life centered on God. We share a heartfelt prayer, expressing gratitude for God's unwavering goodness and seeking His blessings as we take courageous steps forward. Solomon's wisdom reminds us that fearing God and living by His commands is the key to a fulfilling life. Prepare to be spiritually uplifted and encouraged to keep your life anchored in faith as we unpack these powerful biblical insights. Tune in and find the inspiration to move forward with trust in God's plan.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Hello everyone, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. Ecclesiastes, chapter 11, and today's title is Paralysis by Analysis. Paralysis by Analysis. If there's one thing that I don't envy at all about the younger generation right now is the amount of options that they have, and Solomon is going to give us some wisdom on what to do when there are too many options in your life and maybe you've never been there, but I know a lot of people who have, and they literally feel paralyzed by all the different things that are there in life, and so God's word is going to speak to that today. But, as always, before we do that, make sure you like, share, subscribe to YouTube channel and the podcast, make sure you're leaving us a five star review on the podcast, make sure you're liking, sharing, subscribing the YouTube channel and leave us a comment on how you were interacting with God's word. Always love engaging with you back and forth, and also go to the Bible breakdown discussion on Facebook, because, man, the more we dig, the more we find, and they are doing an amazing job over there, writing wonderful devotions, bringing fresh insight to God's Word, and it's an honor to be a part of that amazing team. If you have your Bibles, want to open it with me to the second to last chapter in Ecclesiastes. He is going to help us grapple with this question. What do we do when there's too many options? Now, I don't know how this works out in your life, depending on the season of life you're in, but you know, when my parents and my grandparents were older especially my grandparents you either in that area I lived in for most people you went to work at a factory, you got in the family business or you joined the military. For many people, college wasn't very much of an option. Well then, when my parents came along, college was a little bit of an option, but it was still hard and so your options were limited. So then, when I was raised, the idea was if you can go to college or go to a trade school so that you can get a good job. Well, now that my kids are getting into that space, there's so many options Like you can go to college, or you can go and join a, get into a trade, or they have now places you can work where you just go and work for them and they train you, or there's these other options. You can do the YouTube thing you can do, um, you can be a social media influencer and all there's just. There is a thousand opportunities, but unfortunately, for a lot of people it's created great anxiety and great concern because they don't want to make the wrong choice, right, like if I make the wrong choice, I'm going to ruin my life forever. And that's one of the things that I hear a lot is that, pastor Brandon, I don't want to make the wrong choice and I love getting these people to this chapter because I don't have the right answer, but God's word surely does, and so maybe that's not your world. Maybe your solution or your analysis is options in other places, relationship options or job options, or do I have kids, or I not have kids, or how many kids, and you just feel paralyzed by all the different things. Let's see what God's word has to say to us today, and then let's see how we can take a next step together. You ready?
Speaker 1:Ecclesiastes, chapter 11, verse 1, says this Send your grain across the seas and in time, profits will flow back to you, but divide your investments among many places, for you do not know what risks may lie ahead. Now pause Already. He's saying be wise with your investments. But that's a whole other thing for another day. Selah, verse 3. When clouds are heavy, the rain comes down. Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. Listen to this verse four.
Speaker 1:Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother's womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God who does all these things. Plant your seeds in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another, or maybe both. Light is sweet, and how pleasant it is to see a new day dawning.
Speaker 1:When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life, but let them also remember that there may be dark days. Everything still to come is meaningless. Young people it's wonderful to be young. Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do, take it all in, but remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So refuse to worry and keep your body healthy, but remember that youth and a whole life before you is meaningless.
Speaker 1:So in other words, he's saying have proper perspective, and I think the two lessons that we could learn from anyone who has paralysis by analysis or you just feel simply paralyzed by all the different options in life, is two things. First of all, he says consistently there he's saying hey, listen, we don't know what the world is going to do, we don't know what life is going to do, we don't know. So keep perspective of realizing that most decisions are not going to kill you. If you make a mistake, most things we can fix Now. It may take a long time, but have perspective. But then I love verse four when he says this farmers who wait for the perfect weather will never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. What that means to me is is it's really hard to move a parked car. It's really hard. You say well, god, I wish you would open a door. Well, he may be trying to open a door, but at some point you've got to walk through it.
Speaker 1:And so one of the things I would encourage you to consider is if you're waiting for everything to line up perfectly, if you're waiting for everyone to agree with you and all of the clouds to the stars to align and all the clouds to get out of the way. It's never going to happen. Instead, what is the best decision you can make today? What is the next step that you can make? Then, make that next step. Well, Pastor Brandon, I don't know what's going to happen in the next 10 years, and you know what You're never going to know. You're never going to know what's going to happen in 10 years. The best thing is what is the best decision right now, with the available information and with the wisdom of your friends, with the leading of the Holy Spirit, what is the best decision? Make that decision Because, as verse four says, farmers who wait for perfect weather will never plant, and if they wait for every cloud, they never harvest.
Speaker 1:I want to tell you that I've learned it from my own life. I can't tell you how many times in my life that I have thought if I read just one more book, if I read one more blog post, if I get a little bit more advice and a little bit more wisdom, finally I'll have enough information that I can finally make a decision, only to realize that after a certain point, there is the law of diminishing returns, which means after a certain point and I've got all the information now it just muddies up the water even more. And so one of the things I've learned to do in my life is number one I go to God's word. Is my decision gonna be ethical, is it gonna honor God or is it gonna take away from God Once I get past that filter?
Speaker 1:The next one is what is the wise counsel from people who love Jesus and love me? What are they giving me? Number three what is it that I'm naturally inclined to do? Because God gave you the gifts, talents, abilities and opportunities he gave you for a reason. He most likely doesn't want you to do something that you hate, but rather he's giving you those desires for a reason. So, number one is it in alignment with God's word? Is it in alignment with the wisdom of godly people that love me and love Jesus? Does it automatically or does it fit with the things that I'm naturally gifted and talented to do? And then, number four is it available? You might want to be a professional basketball player all you want to, but if you are 5'2 and can't jump, you know it's probably not going to happen. And so once you do that, then you make the next right decision.
Speaker 1:And what I've learned? That happens in my life so many times is that when I will make I will go through those things and make the next right decision. God has an amazing way of moving me in the right direction. You know, right now, as of this moment, right now and I plan to do this rest of my life I pastor a real-life church in Bowling Green, kentucky. When I was 21 years old, I had no idea where Bowling Green, kentucky was. I had never been to Kentucky. I had no plans of going to Kentucky. I had no plans of being a pastor. I wanted to do something else. Right, I would not have picked this. I am so very thankful that this is what I get to do with my life, but I didn't choose this.
Speaker 1:God directed me and steered me along the way, and so one of the encouragements I want to give you is, if you line up all those things we talked about and you take the next available step, but yet you don't really want to do all that, you're just taking the next step. That's okay, because the reality is there's a very likely chance you get 20 years down the road. You won't be doing that. You're going to be doing something very different, but one small step at a time, god will steer you in the right direction, because I truly believe if you make the right decision for the right reasons, god will always point you in the right direction. So don't have paralysis by analysis. Take the next step and watch what God will do.
Speaker 1:Let's pray God. Thank you so much for today. Thank you for your goodness and your mercy. Thank you that you lead us in more ways than we can imagine. Lord, as we take the courage, or have the courage to take the next step, I pray you will add your blessings and your favor and your peace to all things. In Jesus' name. We pray Amen. Amen. What God's Word says in Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, verse 13, he says that here now is my final conclusion Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. In other words, solomon is saying if you want to have a life that is full, make sure it is a life that is full of God. I love you. I can't wait to see you tomorrow for the grand finale. Ecclesiastes, chapter 12.
