What is Actually Under Your Control?

 

Hey everybody, welcome to our broadcast — a financial podcast about business, money, and Christianity, all from a faith-based perspective. I want to welcome you into the year 2026. We are now about one week into the year, and I hope you’re on track to make this a good one.

The things we do today are going to set us up for next week, next month, six months from now — and we want to do it right. So today, I want to talk to you about decisions, or the choices, that we make.

As I mentioned a moment ago, we talk about business and money here, but always from a Christian, faith-based perspective. While I’m not going to be reading verses directly from the Bible today, everything I’m going to say is biblically grounded and rooted in Scripture.

I’m currently reading a book called Choices by Michael Myers. The subtitle is Choices That Shape Our Character. It’s an interesting book, and if you’re someone who enjoys reading, I highly recommend picking it up and seeing what it has to say. The essence of the book is simple but powerful: our choices determine where we end up. They shape our character and, ultimately, the life we live.

I’ve often said — and while the book doesn’t use this exact terminology, it aligns closely with the idea — that our life today is the sum total of the decisions we’ve made up to this point. Where we live, what we do, the successes we experience, and even the failures we endure are, in many ways, the result of the decisions we’ve made along the way.

Now, I do want to clarify one important point. You and I are not in control of everything that happens to us. Your body may get sick, and you may have done nothing to cause it. That’s simply part of living in a fallen world. But what is within our control is how we respond. The choices we make in response to circumstances determine how we come out on the other side.

So while we’re not in complete control of everything happening around us, we are in complete control of the decisions we make.

Here in the United States, there was an organization formed years ago called MADD — M-A-D-D — which stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. This organization was started by a woman whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. She chose to respond to tragedy by working to change laws and raise awareness to prevent others from experiencing the same loss.

Many people experience similar tragedies — losing a loved one to drugs or DUI-related accidents — and some are completely devastated, unable to move forward. The difference often comes down to choices. No matter how difficult life becomes, our responses are still in our hands.

This matters for how we handle our money and how we run our businesses. In 2026, you are going to make thousands of decisions — many of them without having all the information you would like. That’s why understanding how to make wise choices is so important.

Let me bring Scripture into this. There are many passages that contrast wise decisions with foolish ones. One well-known example is the parable of the ten virgins. Five were wise, and five were foolish. They were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive, and all of them had lamps that required oil. Five brought enough oil; five did not.

When the bridegroom was delayed, the foolish asked the wise to share their oil. The wise refused, knowing that doing so could leave them unprepared themselves. There are many spiritual lessons in this parable, but in the context of what we’re discussing today, it highlights the importance of preparation and the basis on which we make decisions.

From my perspective — especially here in the United States — the difference between wise and foolish decisions often comes down to the length of our thinking. I refer to this as short-term versus long-term thinking.

Those who consistently make foolish decisions tend to think short term: What do I want right now? How do I relieve today’s pressure? How do I enjoy the moment? The foolish virgins thought only about having enough oil for the present moment. The wise ones asked a different question: What if this takes longer than I expect?

I was recently listening to someone describe a situation where they were pressed for time. They structured their day around convenience rather than priority. They handled everything at home first, then went into town — and delays occurred that were completely outside their control. As a result, they were late for an important appointment.

That was a foolish decision, not because delays happened, but because the plan didn’t account for them. A wiser approach would have been to go to town first, absorb any delays there, and then return home knowing they could stop at a specific time if needed.

You and I must develop critical thinking when it comes to decision-making. If you’re making a business decision under pressure, understand this: pressure is one of the worst environments for making long-term decisions. People tend to trade today’s pressure for tomorrow’s problems.

Instead, ask: How do I resolve this in a way that I’m not facing the same issue six months, one year, or five years from now?

Here we are — one week into 2026 — and we know we’re going to make thousands of decisions this year. Some will be wise, and some will be foolish. Our goal is to eliminate as much foolishness as possible.

Ask yourself: What will it take to reach my benchmarks, my goals, my vision? If we talk about money, maybe you think you need a thousand units of your local currency — but wisdom might say you should plan for two thousand, just in case.

Jesus talked about this when He asked, What king goes to war without first considering whether he has enough soldiers? Or what person begins building a house without first counting the cost to see if they can finish it?

You should have a clear trajectory for this year — what you want to accomplish, how you plan to accomplish it — but you must also ask: Do I have what it takes to go the distance? Don’t wing it. Don’t rely on hope alone. Plan wisely.

Choices matter. Decisions matter. They shape the life you build.

Every day, you will face choices. I encourage you to make the most important one first: accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Then base every other decision on that foundation. When you do, He will ensure that you have the resources to fulfill what He has placed in your heart.

Make 2026 a year unlike any other — a year where you accomplish more, walk in greater confidence, operate in greater authority, and see your goals fulfilled. That only happens through consistently making wise decisions along the way.

Thank you for joining me today. We’ll see you next week — same time, same channel. If you’re watching on a platform that allows it, like, subscribe, give it a thumbs up — whatever helps get the algorithms working.

I appreciate you stopping by and allowing me to share these thoughts with you. My hope is that they help make your life this year better. We’ll see you soon.