Asking Directions

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NIV).

In a culture that holds a premium on so called “self-made men” and rugged individualism it is unusual for people to seek guidance from others. We don’t want to admit that we may not have all the answers and we certainly don’t want people thinking we might have a problem. The result is that many suffer in silence only seeking guidance when the damage has been done and our minds have already been made up.

David, King of Israel, was not like that. He readily sought God’s divine guidance. More importantly he responded to that guidance. I fear that many of us seek God’s guidance when we have a problem or important decision to make but we do so secretly having already decided that if what God has to say to us is not to our liking we will ignore the guidance.

Whenever anyone comes into my office for counsel, the first question I ask them is “Do you really want help or are you looking for someone who will agree with what you’ve already decided to do?” Now, I don’t mean that question to sound harsh or cold, but what I do know from years of experience is that the vast majority of people who seek Godly counsel really want an affirmation that their ungodly course of action is understandable and acceptable. They want God to show them His ways, not so they can necessarily walk in those ways, but so that they can determine for themselves what the best way they think they should go is. If the Scripture supports it, fine. If it doesn’t, they’ll find someone who will.

I want to assure you that God’s way is not only the best way, it is the only way to go if you don’t want to end up with egg on your face; if you don’t want to be put to shame (see 25:3).

How does God guide us? I believe that God guides us today primarily through His written Word (the Bible). I have heard the false prophets who claim to have a “fresh word from God,” give advice that is certainly not from God. How can I say that? Because God’s will never violates His written Word. One lady told me that her spirit filled pastor had assured her that an affair was sinful but acceptable under certain circumstances–he and she by the way were in those circumstances. Needless to say her family is still reeling from this sin. God’s will never violates His written Word. With that in mind, it simply makes sense that if you want God’s guidance on your life, you can find it in God’s road-map for your life–the Bible. How does the saying go? B-I-B-L-E stands for Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

The Life Application Bible produced by Tyndale House and Zondervan has this footnote regarding verse 4: “David expressed his desire for guidance. How do we receive God’s guidance? The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God’s primary guidance system is in His Word, the Bible. . . We may be tempted to demand answers from God, but David asked for direction. When we are willing to seek God, learn from His Word and obey His commands, then will we receive specific guidance.”