We all need help to be wise and discerning. We all need guidance to be victorious. Getting guidance is biblical.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. (Prov. 1:5)
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. (Prov. 11:14)
Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. (Prov. 20:18)
For waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. (Prov. 24:6)
God-Established Means to Guide Us
In a previous post we noted that it only makes sense to turn to God first for guidance. That, however, doesn’t mean we can never look elsewhere for guidance. What we must learn, however, is that they must be God-established means such as the following:
- Instruction of God’s Word – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Ps. 119:105)
If we need guidance, the best place to begin is by taking heed to what God has already made clear in His Word.
- Integrity in Our Heart – The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. (Prov. 11:3)
When we focus on who we should be in Christ, we will tend to do what we should do. We will be guided by His righteousness and truth.
- Advice of Other People – Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Prov. 15:22)
We must be cautioned, however, that not everyone will prove to be a good source of guidance. Some could lead us astray. These are people who don’t practice what they teach others to do (Rom. 2:19-21). They may even have worse problems than us yet act like they have it altogether so we trust them (Matt. 23:24). Jesus said, “Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matt. 15:14)
The Bottom Line in Seeking Guidance
We should seek God first with all of our heart . If still unsure about what to do, we might ask other believers who are wise and filled with integrity for help sorting things out. However, we must always weigh what they say against God and His Word. God’s ways will never violate His righteous character and the truth of His Word.