Quick Review of Making the Best of a Bad Decision

We have all made bad decisions. 

Some of them are minor, like getting a cake donut with white frosting, instead of that really awesome tasting cinnamon bun donut covered with white icing that you let your son have and you only got to taste of its awesomeness after he had gnawed it down to two bites. 

Some of them are major.  Like finding yourself in a dead end job, a horrible marriage, or on the sour end of a dumb financial decision.  Sometimes its simply eating the sour grapes of a really bad moral choice. 

Regardless of the decision, Erwin Lutzer’s new book Making the Best of a Bad Decision will cover it.  Maybe not in specific but through general principles Lutzer outlines what a person is to do whenever they have made a bad decision. 

There is much in this book that is commendable.  The general point of the book is very solid.  God redeems even really bad choices.  As Lutzer says, “God does not abandon us when we have made a foolish decision.  Sometimes our stupidity unveils his finest moments” (29).  Whether it is a bad moral decision or a simply dumb choice Lutzer reminds the reader that God offers forgiveness to those that seek Him. 

Lutzer also offers very good and pastoral advice.  There are many helpful statements that are peppered throughout the book, such as the advice to the person that has made a bad choice in marriage, that “faithfulness is much more important than happiness” (50).  Tough to swallow but sound advice. 

Again, there is much that makes this book commendable but the book still has a fundamental flaw.  It seems to me that it works from a very man-centered perspective.  Such statements as, “God can redeem your story, but you must let him” (39) seems to not go deep enough. 

This book may not be the first that I would recommend on the topic but many will certainly find it helpful.  You can buy your copy here.

I received this book free from Tyndale in exchange for a review.