The PERFECT Counselor
Matthew 6:33-34 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
I’ve been focusing on seeking God. One way I’ve been doing that is by choosing three characteristics of God each week to meditate on. At the start of my quiet time I think on these qualities, letting them sink in. This past week one was God as our Counselor. As I’ve been learning to seek and listen to His counsel, the listening part takes practice, His counsel has astounded me. The detail in which He speaks about my situations is amazing. Just this morning, I was seeking clarity on a particular situation. His guidance was specific and complete. He speaks to us in our spirits where we know it’s perfect.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Imagine the most incredible counselor. One who is always available day or night. Will let you talk as long as you want. Doesn’t bill you. Leads you to each next step. Tells you what you need to hear when you need it, no sooner or later. (Otherwise, you wouldn’t get it or be overwhelmed, or it’s too late.) Won’t let you dive into something without counsel – though you may chose not to listen or follow. If you are trying to listen, will make sure you hear. Won’t mislead you. Won’t leave you confused. Knows you better than anyone else. Has complete understanding of everyone and every situation. Has perfect wisdom. Will guide you on the perfect path for you and those around you. Cares for you more than anyone else. Desires your very best. Will never give up on you. Gives you mercy when you don’t listen. Always forgives your rebellion to his counsel. Loves you more than anyone else in your life.
We would all love to have this kind of counselor. And if we are a child of God, we DO. Do we really understand what we’ve been given? Do we listen?
John 14:15-17, 26 If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Others can be a good sounding board, offer advice, and share their experiences that are similar with ours and while they can be a blessing, their counsel doesn’t and can’t compare to what we receive from God. It isn’t one or the other, it’s building a relationship with God in which we learn to hear His counsel, and understand the support of others is to be built upon that sound foundation. It takes time to learn to hear His voice. But we need to be seeking to be able to hear Him so we can truly live an effective and satisfying life and one that truly glorifies Him. We can’t solely rely upon the counsel of others, because it’s limited and often can be “off” or incomplete. God can use others to speak to us and He often does. But this interaction doesn’t replace seeking and hearing His counsel from Him. From Him, it’s deeper, richer and more complete than any we’ve ever experienced. It’s just different. It’s like being taught by Him verses by a human. You can’t compare. It’s completely different.
God is all knowing. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows every side to a situation. He knows what lies ahead. He knows what really happened in the past. He has perfect wisdom. There is nothing He can’t counsel us in. He is an expert at everything. He is more than qualified to counsel us and He wants to. He asks only that we seek and trust Him.
During a trial is when we feel we need our counselor the most, however in reality we need Him all the time. Yet it’s in trials, He can seem to be distant or not as vocal. But He is closer than we know because we are a part of Him. He will never leave us. His care is perfect. We need to trust Him at His lead and the manner He is coming and speaking to us is perfect. Too often we have expectations about how He should be speaking or leading us, instead of being still, listening and realizing He is coming to us in the perfect way. Our expectations of what we think He should be doing prohibit us from seeing what He is doing. Sometimes it’s the silence and the stillness we need the most.
Don’t settle for less, when you’ve been given the best. If you take time to listen, His counsel will astound you and change your life as you develop a listening ear.
Psalm 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
Related Posts:
A Gift Often Left Unopened – the Holy Spirit
Reworking our Mindsets to be Spirit-Led
Living Light 
June 21, 2010 at 7:00 pm
I keep having weird dreams. One of them is that Im in a new house, that is really big and nice.
I have had several Obama dreams…..all of them that we are fast friends (I cant stand his policies and am a right wing Tea Party redneck republican)
In one dream he is inviting me in his office for a Bible study. I have dreamed that he gets fired up for Christ.
I have dreams that I am running or riding or trying too. Always moving but tired and sore
I listen to the Bible on my MP3 several hours a day and wonder why, Im still sorry as hell and no better.
June 22, 2010 at 4:18 pm
John . . . some interesting dreams. Any insights from them? And what do you mean by “wonder why, Im still sorry as hell and no better” exactly?
June 22, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Hi Rachel. First, I’ll probably be thinking on the comment by John quite a bit tonight. We are in times in which spiritual clarity is a must.
As I was reading this post, I was thinking about a natural councellor or therapist.. They cannot read our minds, and as such, we must explain our circumstances and delimmas. These will usually be imperfect explanations with slantings in our presumed favor. Then the councellor (therapist, whatever) must sift through all of this information and…..probably prescribe medication. (lol kinda)
But God is a perfect councellor who sees our thoughts afar off, knows every step that we’ve ever taken, knows our desires, and sees the end from the beginning. He understands us far better than we ever could and will reveal to us anything contrary.
Sometimes in prayer I find that I sound almost scatterbrained as issues are addressed. And yet I know that the Lord has a perfect picture of each situation. Sometimes as I begin to inquire about a thing, I’ll receive an answer before I can finish asking. The Lord is so awesome that it almost leaves us speechless at times.
Thanks for a most needed post today. I haven’t been by in a while due to manifold hecticities, but this was exactly what I needed.
Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
June 23, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Hi Timbob – I’m so glad you did stop by and shared your wonderful insights. How difficult it really is to communicate all we feel – particularly when there is a lot going on in us. To others it can be difficult to understand and even if they appear to they are still seeing the situation through their own filters. All the more reason why cultivating that listening ear to God is so critical and can be an amazing gift to our lives on many levels.
June 23, 2010 at 12:26 am
Meditating on 3 characteristics of God sounds like a great way to invest time in a relationship. Thanks for offering the practical suggestion Rachel.
June 23, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Hi Slamdunk – it has been a tremendous blessing to me – this week is His great kindness, He is ever-present, and all-knowing – “I” (really God) put those together “randomly” and yet together present a powerful truth. Incredibly encouraging.
June 24, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Hey Rachel, thank you for sharing your journey with us, talking about your struggles, and describing how God is answering your prayers! Besides being an encouragement to me, I believe it’s a beautiful way of praising and glorifying God for what He is doing in you!
Your last two posts has really resonated with me – I know I am a work in progress, but I have often struggled with despairing over the distance between who I am and where I am and where I think I should be, and the devil is always right there to remind me of my mistakes and weaknesses and to tempt me to just stay where I am instead of looking up to God and trusting in His work to change me.
I have been so beautifully blessed by God teaching me lesson after lesson and showing me wonder after wonder in this last year and a half… I am amazed by His patience and mercy toward this slow and faulty student/daughter! It is true that our Father is always there to counsel; slowly I am learning to listen…and a few times that really stand out to me, He has given me very specific instructions, just as you say He has you. Sadly, I haven’t always heeded His guidance, but I am sorry for it and have hope that He, again, is faithful to forgive.
You’ve spoken of tests to prove that you truly believe what God has been teaching you lately. This has really hit home for me because so often, when the tests come, it is hard to fight back with the truth He has taught me, so I have begun praying more that God will impress His truths upon me so deeply that they become a part of me that will go with me wherever I go and never fade or be forgotten…like the seeds that did not fall on fertile ground or the man who walks away from the looking glass and does not remember the manner of man he was.
Thanks, as always, for sharing your heart as God stirs it!
June 24, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Hi Ruth – we are in similar places as your words speak of my heart as well. Thanks so much for sharing your encouraging words. God is so faithful – this verse struck me this morning – Psalm 103:3 Who forgives ALL your iniquities and heals ALL your diseases. It’s my prayer as well for His truth to be mine – completely and deeply. It is a hard path to walk because of the struggle with our own will and the lies of the world tring to steal that truth, but when the truth is ours there is true freedom.
June 25, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Thank you for your encouraging post. It reminds me to trust when the vision appears and then grows dim. During those “dark nights of the soul,” I doubt all that God said so clearly while in the light of His presence. Then one word spoken from Him “in due season” at the exact moment I need to hear His wisdom dissipates the clouds of darkness once again. Yet I wonder when true faith is born…I suspect while the darkness descends.
June 25, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Hi JoDee – Love your comment – it’s true . . we can’t have the true faith without going through the dark or cloudy times because that is what pushes us to a limit of knowing where our trust is really.