2002-09-19 - Do You Need Counseling?

2 Sam 12:5-7 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: ⁶ And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. ⁷ And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul (KJV)

Have you ever needed advice? I doubt there is anyone you or I know of more than a few years in age who has not asked for someone's help in deciding what to do or how to handle some situation. When you ask for advice I would suggest that you select who you ask carefully. There are a thousand people who would give you their opinion on a thousand topics. Some are well considered and thought through; others are built on emotion and reaction. With pure emotion it is easy to be carried along by the crowd and to close mind and ear to any other voices. The voice of experience and years is often sound even in a fast-paced ever changing world.

There is one other outstanding quality when looking for advice. You need to know that person will tell you what you need to hear rather than what you want to hear. Here Nathan is a true friend and counsellor when he points his finger in David's face and says, "Thou art the man." David had just proclaimed a death sentence on the man that Nathan had described. David's mind was founded on God's righteousness that was the guide for his indignation. In this case his emotions were true and were correctly guided by that foundation. But Nathan performed the hard part of being an advisor and let David know that David had sinned grievously.

Prov 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful (KJV)

David's reaction was also based on his foundation of knowledge of God's principles in grief over his sin. There was no denial, but acceptance of the truth. No one likes being told they are wrong. We often struggle with it even when we know that we are wrong. If you ask for advice you must be willing to consider the answer or there is no point in asking. If you hear the truth, respond to it. In this case David responds with grief and repentance.

Seek out people you trust for wisdom, friendship and honesty when looking for advice. Be willing to hear what is said even if it is not what you wanted to hear. Value the depth of honesty and friendship required to deliver unpopular news. Add the knowledge of your experience to your personal store of wisdom.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

mhoskins@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org