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The counsel that I am giving you right now through this devotion is to take it to heart. You must choose to exercise faith as you read the scriptures. You must choose to not let them go over your head, out of the window, or dismiss them as something irrelevant. You must choose to believe that God wants you to have wisdom and light and to impart that wisdom and light to those you see or sense as erring. Counsel means guidance, instruction, and wise advice. God does not want you to be ignorant, but wise. Modern counseling seems to focus on asking a myriad of questions to get to the issues. That’s a start, but certainly should not be the whole ball of wax. Counseling from the scriptures focus on the giving of the Word to bring clarity, light, direction, warning and deliverance to a situation.
God counsels us all day long through his word if we would only open it and read it. Or listen to it being read. God’s people often say, I need a word from the Lord when he has written a whole book to give you direction for your life. There have been times when I needed answers from God. I prayed, read his word and went to sleep. Somehow between night and the next day I had my answer. Psalm 16:7 says, I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel: my reigns (mind or innermost being) also instruct me in the night season. If you rest in Jesus and do not worry he will speak to your rested mind even in your sleep. Somehow the answer will come to you. The entire Psalm 119 is about the power of God’s word to counsel or instruct us. In it is the answer for happiness (verses 2-4), the remedy for shame (verses 5-6), instruction in how to cleanse yourself of unclean habits (verse 9), and how not to sin against God (verse 11). Verse 22 tells you what to do when people are talking against you, and the state of those who err from God’s commandments (verse 21). The remedy for a heavy heart and lack of strength is found in verse 28, and how to answer those who accuse you (verse 42). Verse 165 tells you how to have peace and how not to be offended and all of the wisdom you need to navigate through this life.
The question isn’t “Why won’t God speak to me?” But rather am I willing to believe that he has already spoken through his word? Am I willing to believe what he said and apply it to my life? If you are willing you won’t dismiss it as irrelevant or unimportant. If you are willing you will soak it into your spirit. If you are willing you will stand on His truths and ask God to seal them in your heart. And if you are not willing to believe, ask him to make you willing so you won’t be overtaken with slothfulness and sleep past this opportunity to gain wisdom and knowledge that will lead to peace and breakthrough.
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