Now, don't get me wrong- it's not bad to seek godly counsel. That's Biblical. What's bad is when I seek godly counsel before I seek God. Or, if I seek God and hear Him saying one thing while the rest of the world is screaming another. Funny how the world tends to drown out that gentle and quiet whisper.
The truth is, we know the truth. Deep down, we have the Holy Spirit who is burning to guide and counsel us. But, we allow our own thoughts and the thoughts of others to drown out the quiet counsel of our souls. And, then we complain that we can't hear God.
Maybe it's just me. Or maybe you're in the same boat. But, what would happen if we didn't open our mouths to others until we got a clear perspective from God? I think- and this is just my humble opinion- we would save ourselves a lot of confusion and a lot of time. How much easier is it to listen to the an omniscient God than a few of your friends whose thoughts are not nearly as high as His?
I'm reading Elisabeth Elliot's book, Passion and Purity, and it has been convicting on a number of levels. Just when I think I have "been crucified with Christ," I find myself running back to old habits and dependencies.
Everything we experience must first be given to God. A praise? To God. A trial? To God. A worry? To God. A fear? To God. Not to anyone else but Him first. Why do I get this so mixed up?
"Waiting silently is the hardest thing of all...but the things that we feel most deeply we ought to learn to be silent about, at least until we have talked them over with God." Elisabeth Elliot
