Wisdom First

If you want a truly successful life, seek wisdom before you act. Just because something seems right to you, doesn’t mean it’s always the right thing to do. Proverbs 14:12 makes it clear that a way that seems right to a person can instead lead to death, a death that includes relationships, finances, and even dreams. Before you take action, consider: 

• What does God say about it?
• What do wise counselors say about it?

If you don’t have counselors, seek them out. But use caution, simply because they have an opinion doesn’t mean they’re wise. A wise counselor is someone trained, or more experienced than you, whose own life reflects right choices. 

If your wise counselors are against it, wait to take action and thoughtfully consider their advice.

If God is against it, simply don’t do it. 

The more important the issue at hand, the more important it is to seek wisdom. Ultimately the decision is always yours, but remember, so too are the consequences. 

Walk in wisdom today, my friend. 

Ann 

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

‭‭(Proverbs‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

If God’s Word is True

It’s my choice:

Today, and everyday, I want eveything about my life, the way I choose to think, act, and speak, to reflect the belief I confess to have. But I am a flawed person, proned to respond out of my fallen nature instead of my transformed spirit. I can’t do it in my own power.

The more time I spend with God, in communication with Him, worshipping His goodness and basking in His love, the more like Him I become.The more of the Word that I read, memorize, and meditate on, the more my thoughts align with His.

Both of these help me grow into a more mature believer, moving away from the world and closer to heaven. But the flesh is something that you and I have to die to daily, sometimes moment by moment.

So, today I chose to act as if God’s word is true. And I will rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to follow through. Want to join me?

Prayer:

Holy Spirit,

Help me to live life differently than the unbelieving world. Let not fear or worry or stress or anger or jealousy have any control in my life. Instead, let my life be controlled by the truth of God’s word.

Amen

How to Find the Road Home

Traveling with my mom as a child, we often found ourselves lost or at least on the wrong road. She'd start the trip off fine, but frequently distracted, would miss an exit or a turn. She wouldn't stop and turn around, even if she noticed the error right away. Her mindset was that as long as we were going in the general direction we'd be fine. Instead of a few minutes to correct our course,  her approach was known to take an entire day or two of extra travel. It drove me crazy. Once I reached adulthood, she was my passenger on road trips. 

Are you someplace in life you don’t want to be, feeling lost and frustrated? Perhaps you’ve been thrown off course by circumstances outside of your control, or maybe it’s because of poor decisions you’ve made. Either way, it doesn’t much matter how you got there, what’s done is done. You can’t ever go back and change the past. What matters is what you do about it today. You have the power to change direction. The future is up to you.  

You can stay where you are, wandering in the wilderness of life—unhappy, angry, and, frustrated—far from your desired destination, or you can choose to make a change. The power is yours. You can determine to move forward each and every day.

Whenever you find yourself somewhere other than where your purest self should be, simply turn.

Turn away from the dark and towards the light. Turn away from the mire of self-loathing, turn back from the pit of acting out, and turn and run from the chains of temptation.

You won’t reach your destination immediately, but if you continue to take steps of faith in the right direction, you will end up on the sweet road to home.

—Ann Wilds

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.'”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭6:16‬a ESV