Getting Advice

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, 

   but with many advisers they succeed"

Proverbs 15:22

Anyone who has been following these blogs know that I am a planner. I like to know what the next step is. While I do have the ability to improvise, my improvisation always fits into a larger plan. 

A constant struggle for me is to consolidate my planning/organized nature with faith. If I am planning every step of my life and I have goals extending decades into the future, then where does God's guidance come in? Where does obedience to the Spirit come in? 

I think that there are many ways that too much planning can be unhealthy... however I don't think that being organized is, at its core, a bad thing. Ultimately, because of the gift of Free Will, we have to make a decision at some point! I've already discussed in past blogs the importance of prayer, scripture, and reflecting in making life's decisions in accordance to God's will... but I think that God also places people and resources on the way for us. 

God has equipped each of us with different strengths, knowledge, and talents. I believe he did this because God is a God of community. He wants us to serve and rely on one another. If each and every one of us had the same talents and wisdom, there would be no need for fellowship. Instead, we each have weaknesses that can be aided by another person's strength and vice versa. 

Sometimes getting advice is the best thing you can do. God can work through the words and counsel of those around us. We just need to be willing to listen and to be wise enough to discern good advice from bad advice. Getting feedback from a handful of trusted people on the big decisions in our lives can have a huge impact on the success or failure of our plans.

We don't have to live life on our own.