Life used to be much simpler. Consider the following choices at your typical American supermarket or Big Box store:

• Crest toothpaste: 27 varieties
• Campbell's condensed soup: 53 varieties
• Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice: eight sizes, from 8 to 128 ounces
• Breyers ice cream or frozen dairy dessert: Natural, French, Half the Fat, No Sugar Added, Extra Creamy, Homemade, Lactose Free, CarbSmart (and that's just for vanilla ice cream)
• Cheerios cereal: Original, Honey Nut, Honey Nut Medley Crunch, Apple Cinnamon, Banana Nut, Frosted, Chocolate, Multi Grain, Multi Grain Peanut Butter, Dulce de Leche, Cinnamon Burst
• Tide liquid laundry detergent: Original Scent, Plus Febreze, Plus Febreze Sport, Free & Gentle, Plus Bleach Alternative, Coldwater, Clean Breeze, Mountain Spring, Plus Downy, With Acti-Life
• Head & Shoulders shampoo: Active Sport, Old Spice, Deep Clean, Hair Endurance, Refresh, Extra Strength for Men, Citrus Breeze, Ocean Lift, Dry Scalp Care with Almond Oil, Classic Clean, Sensitive Scalp Care, Itchy Scalp with Eucalyptus, Smooth & Silky, Extra Volume, Green Apple, Damage Rescue, Extra Strength, Clinical Strength, plus seven more

Little wonder, then that a 2014 Consumer's Reports survey of nearly 3,000 shoppers found that 36 percent "were overwhelmed by the information they had to process to make a buying decision."

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Taken literally, these stats show how complicated and stressful our lives have become in the midst of overwhelming choices. (2) Taken figuratively, these stats can also be used to illustrate how difficult it is to determine God's will or find a spiritual path for life in the midst so many possibilities.