What steps can we take to seek God's guidance before offering advice? Listening Before Speaking Job 32:12 records Elihu saying, “I paid you close attention, but none of you proved Job wrong; not one of you rebutted his arguments.” Elihu spent chapters quietly absorbing every word before he dared to speak. His restraint models the first step toward seeking God’s guidance: • Give full, undistracted attention to the person’s words and situation. • Resist the urge to formulate answers while they speak (Proverbs 18:13). • Acknowledge that only God truly sees every detail (1 Samuel 16:7). Pause and Pray • Before opening your mouth, take a breath and silently ask the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5). • Submit your own thoughts to Him—“Trust in the LORD with all your heart… and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). • Ask specifically: “Father, show me if I should speak, what to say, and when to stay silent.” Search the Scriptures • Let God’s Word shape your counsel. “The testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). • Look for passages that address the issue at hand; write them down and meditate on them (Psalm 119:105). • Measure every idea—yours or theirs—against clear biblical teaching (Acts 17:11). Invite the Holy Spirit’s Leading • Jesus promised, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things” (John 14:26). • Ask the Spirit to align your thoughts with His truth and love (Romans 8:6). • Remain sensitive to His inner prompting to speak— or to hold back. Examine Your Motives • Why do I want to give this advice? – To look knowledgeable? – To control the outcome? – Or to serve and build up? (Ephesians 4:29) • Confess any pride or impatience (1 Peter 5:5-6). • Seek a heart that desires God’s glory and your neighbor’s good. Confirm with Godly Counsel • When possible, run your thoughts by mature believers who know Scripture well (Proverbs 11:14). • Invite them to correct or refine your perspective. • Unity among wise counselors often signals God’s direction. Speak with Grace and Truth • When the time comes, offer words that are: – Truthful—anchored explicitly in Scripture. – Timely—“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold” (Proverbs 25:11). – Tender—“Let your speech always be gracious” (Colossians 4:6). • Keep pointing the person back to Christ, the ultimate Counselor (Isaiah 9:6). Leave the Results to God • After sharing, entrust the outcome to the Lord (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). • Continue praying for the person, believing God will guide them in His perfect way. Following these steps keeps our counsel from becoming mere human opinion. Like Elihu, we first listen, then lean on the Lord, so that when we finally speak, our words carry the weight and wisdom of God’s own guidance. |
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