Without counsel plans fail,
Proverbs 15:22, ESV
but with many advisers they succeed.
If you could have fixed it on your own, you would have done so already. We try and we struggle. But it seems like we can’t figure it out. Sometimes we need something more. But we continue to try to do it on our own.
We pride ourselves on our independence. And we increasingly strive to live more and more independently of each other. Much of our life is spent striving to not need anyone else.
But God did not create us to be independent. He created us to be dependent. It starts with dependence on him but is also about dependence upon others. You were conceived in dependence. You were dependent upon your mother in the womb. As a child, you were dependent upon your parents and other adults to provide for you.
It is part of the cycle in life. At the end of our lives, many of us will become dependent upon our children in ways similar to how our children were once dependent upon us. But somewhere in the middle, we think that we can achieve independence. We try to do it on our own, often leaving us isolated.
The poor decisions we make in life are often the decisions that are made in a vacuum. We make the decisions on our own without the input of others. Yes, you have to make your own decisions. But make sure that you have good counsel to help you make those decisions.
It starts with God. What does God’s Word have to say about your decision? Let his Holy Spirit guide you to make the best decision. After you make a big decision, let it sit overnight. Pray over the decision that has been made. It may be that God gives you input before your final yes or no.
Pride keeps us from asking for help. But seek out wisdom. Go beyond your peers who may be wrestling with the same things you are wrestling with. Ask help from someone who has been through the struggle already.
There are few decisions and experiences in life that are unique to you. It is likely that you can learn from someone who has been where you are. It is said we learn from the mistakes of others or we learn from our own mistakes. We can agree it is better to learn from the mistakes of others.
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