“To protect myself from myself requires a predetermined discovery process of the Lord’s very best.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 20, 2022
Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice. Proverbs 12:15, MSG
My most regrettable decisions seem to be those I made in a hurry, with a self-imposed urgency or from external pressure from people or circumstances. I know I am toying with an unhealthy option when I am tempted not to ask my wife what she thinks, because I already know what she thinks, “Boyd, are you sure…I don’t think so.” A short-sighted decision-making process that only listens to advice to affirm what I want, is not wise. I can talk myself into anything, but if I pause, pray and seek godly advice—I replace striving with trust and choose humility over pride. To protect myself from myself requires a predetermined discovery process of the Lord’s very best.
One of life’s common examples of hurry is when someone is on his way to an appointment, and in the course of driving to his destination discovers from Google Maps ETA—you will be late! Franticly, he presses the gas pedal beyond the speed limit, rushes through yellow lights, cringing he zooms through intersections, while some of the traffic lights turn red (pink, ha!). Unsafe and some would say a foolish way to drive a car—likewise an unsafe and foolish way to make decisions. Can you be headstrong and prideful in your decision-making or are you learning to be sober minded and humble in your thought process? Wisdom is not rushed to discern God’s best!
“The Father loves the Son, so He does not hide His actions. Instead, He shows Him everything, and the things not yet revealed by the Father will dumbfound you” (John 5:20, VOICE).
So, what is a wise approach to your decision making? Slow down, seek wisdom in God’s Word, listen to godly advice and follow the Spirit’s lead. Anxiety and fear tend to abate as you wait and give yourself permission to decelerate the process. Pause as you abide in Christ’s love to listen in silence and solitude to the “One who is wisdom.” Peace comes to a pure heart that delights in the Lord. Engage with godly counsel as a vessel for truth, all the while validating with Scripture, and carefully curating the reoccurring themes throughout the conversations with the wise and discerning. The Holy Spirit will not confuse you, rather He will clarify for you the wise thing to do. The answer may not always be common sense or conventional, but guaranteed to grow you more like Jesus!
“Every time you make a choice,” said C. S. Lewis, “you are turning the central part of you, the part that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all of your innumerable decisions, you are slowly turning the central thing either into a heavenly creature, or into a hellish creature by simply making the decisions that you make.” Like Jesus, move toward making decisions that God the Father models and teaches you.
“The truth is that the Son does nothing on His own; all these actions are led by the Father. The Son watches the Father closely and then mimics the work of the Father ” (John 5:19, VOICE).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the courage to slow down and pray to discern your wise ways, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
What decision are you facing that requires additional time, prayer and counsel to validate God’s best?
Related Reading
Proverbs 11:14, 13:10,16 15:22, 19:20; Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21
Worship Resource
Maverick City feat. Israel Houghton & Naomi Raine: Nothing Left To Prove
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