The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. (1 Samuel 24:4)
Not all advice is good advice. In fact, we’ve all had times when we’ve received bad advice and suffered as a result of it. So how do you know when the advice you’re receiving is worth heeding? Here are a couple of considerations.
- Does the advice go against one of God’s principles? If so, then it’s not worth listening to.
- Does the advice come from someone who has something to gain personally? If so, then heed it carefully; those who have something to gain aren’t always particularly objective.
- Does the advice pass the “pillow test”? In other words, will you be able to sleep at night knowing that you did what was right? If not, then it’s not worth losing your peace over it.
- Have you brought the situation before the Lord? Sometimes the Holy Spirit brings a clarity to you that only comes when you seek His counsel rather than the counsel of someone else.
In David’s situation, the advice of his friends went against God’s principle of submitting to authority. Additionally, the men would gain personally from David killing Saul – they wouldn’t have to run for their lives any longer!
David realized that the advice his friends gave him wasn’t the best, and he pursued a different course of action. When you are receiving advice, consider the above list, and you will find yourself making better decisions.
Lord, I want to make good decisions. Please help me to cautiously receive advice from others, and let me be more interested in pleasing You than I am in accepting the advice of others. Realizing that some counsel is truly wise, give me discernment to hear the wise counsel and to put the unwise counsel by the wayside.
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