After his conversion, William Wilberforce wondered whether he should leave the sensual, raucous environment of the political scene of his day and enter the ministry. He appealed to John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace,” for counsel. Newton replied with some timely advice: “It’s hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of the nation.” Based on that recommendation, Wilberforce determined to make a difference in politics, setting before himself the primary goal of suppressing the slave trade. He overcame tremendous opposition during decades in Parliament before finally seeing the slave trade abolished throughout the British Empire in 1807 and slavery itself in 1833.
Scripture repeatedly urges its readers to seek wise counsel (Proverbs 1:5; 11:14; 15:22; 19:20; 24:6). The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise (12:15).[i] Here are four biblical principles for seeking advice gleaned from the many passages and examples in Scripture.
(1) Seek godly counsel with the honest intention of obeying it.
A double-minded heart will either lead you to choose the wrong counselors or open you up to the possibility of being deceived by wrong advice. Prayerfully prepare your heart to obey the advice you are seeking. In the book of Jeremiah, survivors of the Babylonian devastation of Judah in 586 BC came to Jeremiah seeking his advice (42:1-2). A careful reader will observe that before they even approached Jeremiah for his advice (in chapter 42), they had already begun their journey toward Egypt: And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to Egypt (41:17). They had decided beforehand what they were going to do; they were just hoping that God would agree with them. Tragically, they model impeccably the double-minded and unstable man that James speaks of in his epistle (1:8): Let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord (v. 7)!
We often know when the advice we are receiving is biblical and exactly what God wanted us to hear. Ahab surely had a hunch that Micaiah was right when he predicted his death (why else did Ahab disguise himself in the battle that ensued?), but he felt he could maneuver his way around the prophecy. Don’t be like Ahab. If God gives you a “Micaiah,” whose straight speaking makes you uncomfortable, praise God for him (or her) and prepare your ears and heart to hear. Unfortunately, pride, selfish desire, personality conflict, a desire not to appear wrong, and a variety of other factors may keep us from responding the way we should.
(2) Approach more than just one counselor.
Since safety lies in a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14; 24:6), seek advice from more than just one counselor. Prayerfully choose two or three godly individuals from whom you can seek counsel and whom you think might be of genuine spiritual help to you. Then objectively lay your case out before them and consider strongly following the advice they give.
(3) Prioritize older, wiser advisors with a reputation for being good counselors.
Too often, we forge friendships with people only in our age group, and we lose the wisdom that friendship with an older person can bring. Remember what happened when Rehoboam followed the advice of his peers over the sage counsel of those older (1 Kings 12:6-14).
In addition, prioritize the advice of those highly acclaimed in their fields of expertise. Latch onto a Zechariah, the son of Shelemiah, whenever you can find one (1 Chronicles 26:14). The best counselor might not be someone you can talk to. Thanks to the existence of books and the internet, we can often gain access to some of the world’s greatest (and godliest) minds when it comes to time management, financial planning, conflict resolution, organizational leadership, interpreting Scripture, overcoming addictions, and thousands of other topics.
(4) Listen to those who have your best interests at heart and who know you (or your situation) well.
Everyone needs genuine friends who will provide “heartfelt counsel” (Proverbs 27:9, NLT). Jonathan was such a friend to David, encouraging and supporting him even though he knew David’s survival would cost him his father’s throne (1 Samuel 23:16-18). Gedaliah foolishly overlooked the advice of a man (Johanan) who was on his side (Jeremiah 40:14). Do not underrate advice from a heart that sincerely cares for you, even if you do not agree with the advice initially. Probe the person for more details; ascertain the reason for his or her concerns. Do not be wise in your own opinion (Romans 12:16).
An excellent example of a man who sought counsel for his future is R. G. LeTourneau, a gifted inventor of large earth-moving equipment, who designed over fifty percent of the earth-moving machines used in World War II. LeTourneau surrendered to Christ as a young man and considered going into full-time Christian service. After all, how else does a Christian show his surrender to his Lord? His pastor, however, counseled him that “God needs businessmen as well as missionaries.”[ii] That advice led LeTourneau to continue in his business and to make God his business partner. LeTourneau decided that he and God would split the business profit as follows: God would get ninety percent; he would receive the remaining ten percent. Millions of dollars were given to the Lord’s work because of a young inventor willing to listen to spiritually-minded counsel. At the end of the day, the best thing about being a person who seeks and listens to biblical counsel is that God is glorified and His kingdom benefits.[iii]
[i] Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are quoted from NKJV.
[ii] Albert W. Lorimer. God Runs My Business: The Story of R. G. LeTourneau (Fleming H. Revell Company, 1941), p. 41.
[iii] This series is adapted from the book Planning Your Life God's Way.