Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

This is the first installment in my advent series.

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I don’t know if I have one specific answer to this question. But thinking about it has made me realize how much good advice I have been given. As Christians, it is imperative that we always seek the counsel of those who are strong in the Lord and whose love for us outweighs their hesitation to offend us. As Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.” None of us want bad advice—but it is our responsibility to feed ourselves with the wisdom of the Lord, not the flattery of the world. But what if these devoted Christian brothers and sisters seem nonexistent? If our community seems devoid of positive influences, must we simply rely on ourselves and are own understanding to make it through life? Of course not—our God knows what He’s doing better than that.

The greatest blessing God gives to His children is Himself—He is our Wonderful Counselor and He always has the best guidance for us. He will never say, “you’ll have to figure out this one on your own.” He knows we can never be self-sufficient, and He offers His help earnestly and freely. David writes in Psalm 16:7-8, “I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” God will never leave you to figure out life on your own. He is ready and willing to stay by your side for every step, as long as you trust His wisdom to set the direction of your path.

We so often run to the world for comfort, motivation, and advice. We forsake our Father’s goodness for the cheap fulfillment of the world. We seek unwise counsel, then wonder why it leads us astray. And all the time, God is willing to tell us all we need to know, if only we would ask. The Apostle James writes “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). We have direct access to the throne room of heaven—why do we turn to the useless advice of the world?

It is certainly not a bad thing to seek advice from those who are spiritually strong. We must remember, however, that our fellow human beings are fallible. Their counsel is only wise while it reflects the wisdom of God. If we go straight to the source of this wisdom, there is no room for error. Isaiah 40:12-13 says, “Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge and informed Him of the way of understanding?” and later in verse 26, “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” No one needs to instruct God. He is the Author of it all.

I have a sticker on my laptop that says, “Go to God first—not last.” It’s a good reminder that while it’s great to ask for advice from trustworthy people, nobody’s words will ever be better than God’s. We all know to pray through our struggles—but sometimes we pour out our troubles to God and then go about our day. We forget that prayer is like every other conversation: it works both ways. Yes, God does want us to tell Him our every pain and trouble, but He also wants us to hear from Him; He wants us to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

What is the connection between the wise counsel of the Lord and Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming Messiah? When Jesus came to earth, lived a sinless life, and died a sacrificial death, He reconciled us to the Father. God did not change. He is still the God of Mount Sinai, but the veil has been torn between us and Him. Through Christ, we can see the wonderful wisdom of God. Not only that, but we now have access to this wisdom through the Spirit who lives within us. That is what Christmas is all about: Emmanuel, God with us. He is our amazing, incomparable, wonderful Counselor. In love and compassion, He chose to humble Himself and be born to a broken world. Through every situation, He knows what’s best. Seek His counsel above all else, and He will make your paths straight.