How to Make Wise Decisions as a Young Man: A 7-Day Bible Study Guide

📘 Introduction

Life is full of choices—and the decisions you make as a young man can shape the course of your entire future. From who you date, to what career path you choose, to how you spend your time, every decision has consequences. Some will open doors to growth, joy, and purpose. Others may lead to regret, confusion, and pain.

The pressure can feel overwhelming. Culture tells you to just follow your heart. Your friends may give advice based on impulse or emotion. But God offers something far better: wisdom from above. Wisdom isn’t just knowing facts or being smart. It’s about making decisions that align with God's truth and lead to lasting fruit.

You don't have to figure it all out on your own. God promises to guide those who seek Him with a sincere heart. Through this 7-day study, you’ll learn how to invite God into your decision-making, avoid common traps, and walk forward with confidence, even when life is uncertain.

Let this study challenge and sharpen you. Whether you’re facing big choices or small ones, God cares. And He has wisdom waiting for you.

🗓️ Day 1: The Source of All Wisdom

📖 Primary Scripture

James 1:5 (NIV)
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

📚 Supporting Scripture

Proverbs 2:6 (NIV)
"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding."

💭 Devotional: God Wants to Guide You

If you’ve ever felt stuck or unsure about a decision, you’re not alone. The good news? God invites you to ask Him for help. He doesn’t withhold wisdom from those who ask in faith. He isn’t frustrated by your questions. In fact, He welcomes them.

The world says, "Trust yourself." But the Bible says, "Trust in the Lord." Real wisdom doesn’t come from your gut or your peers. It comes from a deep, daily relationship with God. When you open your Bible, pray sincerely, and seek God’s input, you are setting yourself up for wise, lasting decisions.

The starting point is simple but powerful: Ask God. He gives generously. He speaks through Scripture, peace in your spirit, wise counsel, and open or closed doors. Don't skip this step. Make it your habit.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. What important decisions am I currently facing?
2. How often do I ask God for wisdom before making a decision?
3. What would it look like to trust God as my primary source of direction?

🙏 Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit I don’t always know what to do. Sometimes I try to figure things out on my own, and I get stuck. But You promise to give wisdom to those who ask. So I’m asking today. Speak clearly. Guide me. Help me trust that Your wisdom is better than anything the world has to offer. Amen.

🗓️ Day 2: Trusting God Over Your Feelings

📖 Primary Scripture

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

📚 Supporting Scripture

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) – "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

💭 Devotional: Your Heart Isn't Always Right

We live in a culture that loves the phrase, "Follow your heart." It sounds romantic, freeing, and brave. But Scripture gives a warning: your heart is deceitful. It’s not always a trustworthy guide.

Emotions are powerful, but they’re not infallible. Feelings can shift with the weather, with hormones, or with who texted you that day. If you rely on your own understanding—or follow what “feels right” without checking it against God’s Word—you can easily drift off course.

Trusting God means letting His truth override your emotions. It means choosing obedience even when your feelings scream something else. And it means submitting your ways—not just your problems—to Him. That’s where clarity comes.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. When have I followed my feelings and regretted it later?
2. What does it look like to “submit” all my ways to God?
3. How can I begin trusting God’s Word more than my emotions?

🙏 Prayer for Today

Father, I confess that I often rely on my own feelings and logic instead of leaning on You. Teach me to submit my ways to You. Give me the strength to obey You, especially when it's hard or uncomfortable. Let Your truth guide every choice I make. Amen.

🗓️ Day 3: The Danger of Rash Decisions

📖 Primary Scripture

Proverbs 19:2 (NIV)
"Desire without knowledge is not good—how much more will hasty feet miss the way!"

📚 Supporting Scripture

Luke 14:28 (NIV) – "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"

💭 Devotional: Pause Before You Proceed

In a world obsessed with instant gratification, the idea of slowing down before making a decision sounds almost outdated. But biblical wisdom is patient. It counts the cost. It weighs the outcome. It doesn’t rush.

Many of life’s worst mistakes come from impulse. Rash decisions in relationships, finances, or even friendships can lead to years of consequences. That’s why God calls us to be thoughtful and prayerful, not impulsive and reactive.

God isn’t slow—He’s thorough. And He blesses the young man who stops, prays, and thinks before acting. Slow down. Ask questions. Seek advice. Trust God with the pace.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. What’s a decision I rushed into and later regretted?
2. Why do I sometimes feel pressure to decide quickly?
3. What would it look like to invite God into my pace and planning?

🙏 Prayer for Today

God, I often feel the pressure to act fast—to prove something or avoid discomfort. But You call me to move with wisdom. Slow me down when I’m rushing ahead. Give me discernment and peace. Help me pause before I proceed, and to trust that Your timing is best. Amen.

🗓️ Day 4: Seeking Wise Counsel

📖 Primary Scripture

Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed."

📚 Supporting Scripture

Proverbs 11:14 (NIV) – "For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers."

💭 Devotional: Don’t Go It Alone

One of the greatest dangers young men face is trying to make major life decisions in isolation. Whether it’s pride, fear, or just wanting to appear strong, many young men hesitate to seek help. But the Bible tells us clearly: wise counsel leads to success.

God puts mentors, parents, pastors, and godly friends in your life to help you see what you might miss. Their experience and wisdom can uncover blind spots and offer fresh perspective. Seeking advice isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. Even kings had counselors.

You don’t have to go it alone. Humility invites guidance. And when you combine prayer with wise counsel, you’ll find yourself making stronger, more God-honoring decisions.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. Who are the trusted voices in my life I can seek advice from?
2. Do I avoid asking for help? Why?
3. What decision am I facing now that I could bring to a mentor or pastor?

🙏 Prayer for Today

Lord, thank You for the people You’ve placed in my life to help me grow. Give me humility to listen and courage to ask for guidance. Protect me from pride or isolation. Help me seek wisdom in community and not walk this road alone. Amen.

📅 Day 5: Waiting on God’s Timing

📖 Primary Scripture

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

📚 Supporting Scripture

Psalm 27:14 (NIV)

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

💭 Devotional: Patience Isn’t Passive

In a world driven by speed and instant results, waiting feels like weakness. But waiting on God is one of the strongest, most courageous acts of faith a young man can display. It’s not the same as being lazy or indecisive. It’s about trusting that God's timing is wiser, kinder, and more strategic than your own.

You might be praying for an answer, longing for a breakthrough, or craving clarity—and feel like God is silent. But delay is not denial. Often, God uses the waiting seasons to prepare your heart, strengthen your character, and position you for something greater than you could imagine.

Rushing into relationships, careers, or major life decisions can derail your calling. But when you learn to trust God’s clock instead of your own, you open the door to a life marked by peace and purpose. Patience isn’t passive—it’s active trust.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. What areas of my life do I feel impatient about right now?
2. How has God used waiting seasons to grow me in the past?
3. What would it look like to actively trust Him in this current season?

🙏 Prayer for Today

God, waiting isn’t easy for me. I want answers now. I want results fast. But I know that Your ways are higher, and Your timing is perfect. Help me to wait with faith, not frustration. Give me strength to be still, and peace to rest in Your promises. Prepare me during this season and help me trust that You are working behind the scenes for my good. Amen.

📅 Day 6: Guarding Against Peer Pressure

📖 Primary Scripture

Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)

"Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."

📚 Supporting Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'"

💭 Devotional: The Voices That Shape You

As a young man, the people you surround yourself with are shaping you—whether you realize it or not. You become like the company you keep. Their values, their priorities, their language, and their habits slowly become yours too. That’s why the Bible repeatedly warns about choosing your friends wisely.

Peer pressure doesn’t always look like dares or demands—it often comes subtly. It’s in the jokes your friends make, the compromises they normalize, and the silence they show when sin is present. You can’t thrive in your calling while clinging to people who are dragging you backward.

Walking with the wise means being intentional about your inner circle. Choose friends who push you closer to Christ, not further away. Surround yourself with brothers who sharpen your faith, encourage your growth, and challenge you to rise higher.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. Who are the voices influencing me most right now?
2. Are there friendships I need to reconsider or set boundaries with?
3. What qualities should I look for in godly friends and mentors?

🙏 Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to walk with wisdom. Help me evaluate the people I allow close to my heart. Give me courage to distance myself from unhealthy influences and draw near to those who honor You. Surround me with godly friends who speak life, truth, and challenge me to grow. Teach me to be a strong influence for You in every relationship. Amen.

📅 Day 7: Surrendering Every Decision to God

📖 Primary Scripture

Romans 12:1–2 (NIV)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

📚 Supporting Scripture

Psalm 143:10 (NIV)

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

💭 Devotional: Living with a Surrendered Mindset

After everything we’ve covered this week—trust, patience, wise counsel, resisting pressure—it all comes down to one final truth: a wise life begins with surrender. True wisdom isn’t just about choosing between two options. It’s about living with a heart that says, “God, whatever You want, that’s what I choose.”

The world tells you to chase your dreams, do what feels good, and craft your identity however you want. But Romans 12 says something different. It calls you to be a living sacrifice—fully surrendered to God's will. That doesn’t mean you become passive or directionless. It means your desires are filtered through God’s truth. Your steps are led by His Spirit.

When your mind is renewed by the Word, you begin to see clearly. You won’t just make good decisions—you’ll make godly ones. Decisions that bring peace, honor, and purpose. And you’ll walk in alignment with His perfect will—not just avoiding mistakes, but fulfilling your calling.

✍️ Journaling Prompts

1. What decisions in my life still need to be fully surrendered to God?
2. What does it mean to be a “living sacrifice” in my daily life?
3. How can I renew my mind each day to better discern God’s will?

🙏 Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, I don’t want to live by my own wisdom anymore. I want to surrender every decision—big or small—to You. Renew my mind through Your Word. Help me to resist the patterns of this world and be transformed by Your Spirit. Lead me to choices that reflect Your heart and bring You glory. I trust Your plan. I choose Your way. I surrender all. Amen.