Davidisms - H-A-L-T

Q: When should you never make a major life decision? A: When you are H - Hungry, A - Angry, L - Lonely, or T - Tired. While “HALT” is a teaching from Alcoholics Anonymous, it’s one that we should all live by. Humans are incapable of making a wise decision when any of these feelings are present. We are sinners living in a fallen world, which means our natural inclination is bent toward impulsiveness. Dulling the pain. Immediate gratification. But hasty and impulsive decisions - especially ones made when experiencing the stressors of HALT - most often lead to sin and destruction. And contribute to further harm and pain. That’s why Scripture teaches us to seek first wisdom from above. For God’s wisdom is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). When we look to God - not self - for wisdom, we are able to choose wisely. And we will make decisions led by God’s Spirit, not the feelings of HALT.