November 27, 2023
Melissa Valerio
What do you do when you have a big decision to make? Most of us will likely find someone to ask for advice. Because heaven knows we don’t want to make the wrong decision. But the question is…who should we ask? Well, ultimately, it’s God whom we should ask since all decisions belong to Him anyway and He’s got a clear vision of our lives. So, asking Him would be wise. Praying about it, reading God’s word, and doing what Proverbs 15:22 suggests “Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” (NASB) Also noted in Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a person who listens to advice is wise.” (NASB)
Interesting. That God would use people to speak His direction through. Why not just speak directly to us? If the decision is that important, why not always speak through the Bible? Or directly to our spirits? Why use sinful people with jarred thoughts and worldly experiences? That just baffles me, but … God is God, and I am not. So then, let’s try to figure out how to decipher good counsel and listen to the “wise advice” we’re encouraged to take.
When asking around for advice, the key to getting godly advice is to ask a godly person. We oftentimes make decisions based on our emotions or our own wants and desires. Sometimes it’s based on societal norms or influential people in the media. The only problem with that is, it’s not always the right path for us, and may even go against God’s will for our lives. So, seeking out someone who has a godly character is one of the first things we would want to consider. Do they live the way of Truth? Do their principles align with the Bible? Does their way of life line up with the counsel they give? We know they won’t be perfect, but do they try their best to exemplify Christ? If they need rebuking or correcting, are they open to it, accepting that there is always room for growth and correction? These are the people we ought to seek out for advice. And then after they’ve given us their advice, our next stop should be the Bible. Evaluate the counsel by God’s word to make double sure it’s not working against scripture. We, ourselves, need to be familiar enough with the Bible to determine when things don’t seem right. And as always, bring it before the Lord and ask for His input. He is sovereign, so bringing it before Him and asking Him to do as He wishes protects us from going down the wrong path. I sure wish it was as easy as getting a verbal answer from Jesus Himself. But He chose not to work that way. Most times, He chooses to work through people. So, if that’s the way He wants to do it, let’s make sure we’re in the best possible position to receive His precious words.
Prayer: King Jesus, Your counsel is the only one that matters. Please make Your instructions known to us. If it’s through people, lead us to the right ones to ask. If it’s through Your word, illuminate your passages to us. If it’s through the Spirit, open our spiritual ears to hear You. In any way You choose, make Your words clear and strengthen us to follow them.
Action: Read 2 Timothy 3. Verses 1-9 describe someone who lives for themselves — this is the kind of person you DO NOT want to ask advice from. Their ideas are clouded with evil and any counsel they give will bring pain and death. Verses 10-12 describe someone who lives for God — this is the kind of person (displaying these kinds of qualities) you DO want to ask advice from. But as always, once you’ve received advice, bring it to the Lord and ask that He show You the proper way.