Receiving Counsel

Psalm 16:7 “I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.”

When I was a young man I had a problem with receiving counsel, if I felt like my position was right, no amount of arguing could dissuade me. I had to be boxed into a corner with no excuse until I finally admitted that I was in the wrong and needed to make amends.

Since those early days I’ve learned that I can easily be wrong, especially if I remove myself from good counsel. What I missed back then is why I want to share with you today. A bit of advice received would have saved me from a lot of embarrassment and likewise trouble—if only I had just been a bit wiser I could have saved myself from much hardship.

Listen to the wisdom of those who have gone before you.

Job 12:12-13 “Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life. Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His.”

There are wise people among us, I know this because I have sought them out and found them. They are everywhere if you know where to look.

There are different types of wisdom, in one sense there is the wisdom of the world that comes from man and conversely there is godly wisdom that is divine.

Godly wisdom is found by walking with the Lord. The Holy Spirit imparts truth to those who seek Him and the more a follower of Christ walks in obedience, the more he grows in Truth. Worldly wisdom is relegated to those who seek out worldly riches, honor, and all the world promises.

The determining decision as to who you should seek is dependent on which direction you want to go.

Trouble comes when wisdom is forsaken.

Psalm 107:10-11 “Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, Bound in affliction and irons—Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High,”

I have found myself often confused in the midst of trouble. Foolishness not only lead me into trouble, but in my foolishness I lacked a basic understanding of all that led me to fail. The key to me receiving counsel was first knowing I needed godly influence. My hard hearted determination and stubbornness showed a lack of understanding, and pride prohibited me from humbling myself enough to ask.

I am not alone, the typical response of a fool is to seek help once trouble has come, it’s a good way to lose friends and burn out those who helped you many times before.

When following godly counsel, let God ultimately do the leading.

Godly Approval

Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.”

One of the blessings of God is the blessing of His approval. The wise give counsel that is in accordance with God’s Word. Any act that is righteous is honoring to God. The Lord walks with the righteous, He stands against the unrighteous. Too many times I hear people who claim to trust in God and yet do their own thing, once it fails they wonder why.

Some might be frustrated because they prayed for God to bless them and then when He didn’t, the question of “Where is God?’ or “Why did He abandon me?” fills their speech. What the fool doesn’t realize is that God will not bless something He did not direct.

To reject godly counsel is to show hatred for God.

Proverbs 1:29-30 “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies.”

When seeking godly counsel, how can we be certain the encouragement is trustworthy?

When a person is struggling in sin, the separation from God clouds the mind and hinders the ability to give or receive good counsel. The way we can be sure that counsel is good is to hold it up to the Word of God. Pray about what was shared and then study the Word, all good counsel is affirmed by the Bible. If you truly want to honor the Lord in life, allow Him to speak His Truth into you.

All good counsel glorifies God.

Psalm 73:23-24 “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind. I was so foolish and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me to glory.”

The Lord is forever worthy.

The glory of God is revealed to those who are found faithful. The result of any endeavor blessed by God is that it also blesses those around you. Others see God’s hand in your life and they return praise to Him. In the end, the faithful will receive a Crown of Life that was promised by God to His people, living faithfully is to stay on that path.

Walking in good counsel leads to Praise.

Psalm 16:7 “I will bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my conscience instructs me.”

When faithfulness ends in praise —You know the Lord was in it!

Even if the road is treacherous, you know the path you are on is blessed. You don’t second guess yourself, you don’t fear—you sought out godly wisdom, you prayed before you started and the Lord confirmed your path. No matter how much doubt the enemy tries to impose, you are steadfast in your walk knowing that nothing can come against you.

Finally…..

The pattern of walking in good counsel is for a lifetime.

Psalm 48:14 “For this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even till death.”

No matter how young or how old you might be, we all have decisions we must make that requires good counsel. We can often be emotionally driven or be too involved in a situation to trust our own counsel.

Hearing from someone who isn’t tied to your circumstances can be a wise approach, they can often give a perspective that is unbiased.

Many of the clues for being successful in life are ones I heard at a very early age, growing up in church does that for you. Where I went wrong was my lack of heeding advice.

The good news is—-God loves you and He forgives. The Lord has your best interest in mind and knowing this leaves you with the confidence that no matter where He leads it will always be good.

Trust Him.