Pattern and Principles: Seeking counsel

Pattern and Principles: Seeking counsel

Proverbs 15:22 (NIV) “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”

Since time immemorial humans have the instinct to seek counsel or knowledge beyond themselves. I believe this is one of the reasons we flock to someone that seem to have more wisdom and knowledge, more than what we have.

We (humans) are all wired differently, some are analytical in thinking, while others are spatial or emotional in thinking. Some might need data, while others are more intuitive (gut feeling). When we recognize our though process and pattern, then it makes sense for us to seek counsel or the wisdom of others, particularly in areas we are weak.

To choose who our counsels are, there are things we must take into account. Is the person born-again and spiritually/emotionally matured? Is the person experienced, knowledgeable and display both human and godly wisdom in the area you are seeking counsel from him/her? It is very important to realize that as wise as the person is, he/she would have short-coming.

When Rehoboam took over being king of Israel, he had two sets of counsel, his own friends and those who advised his dad. Both set of people gave him counsel, unfortunately he listened to his friends who were knowledgeable and smart intellectually, but not matured, lacked experience and godly wisdom.

Counsels is not to speak us out of what God has told you to do, it is to help you determine how best to accomplish that vision. By the time Paul was rounding up his third mission trip, opposition to him was huge (from Hellenists) that many people including the Jerusalem Council were counseling him – join a group of Nazarites in prayer, don’t go to Jerusalem, etc. He (Paul) knew what God had told him, and he stuck to that – regardless of counsels that seem good.

Seek counsel, but chose those you seek counsel with carefully – is he or she born-again, is he/she spiritually and emotionally matured, does his/her life reflect godly integrity, is he/she knowledgeable in the area God has called them to, and does he/she hide their short-coming and pretend like a perfect person or does he/she let you see his/her vulnerability and constant work on it?