Personal Will
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Divine Direction: The Wisdom of Counsel
We continued our sermon series “Divine Direction,” a study focused on understanding how God guides our lives.
In the first week, we explored God’s sovereign will—the truth that God knows every decision and action that will ever take place and sovereignly weaves His plan through the choices of mankind.
Last week we looked at God’s moral will, the commands and principles God gives us in Scripture that answer the majority of life’s questions. When we live according to God’s commands, we begin to discover His direction for our lives.
Proverbs 3:5–6 summarizes it well:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart,And lean not on your own understanding;In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He shall direct your paths.”
But what about the difficult decisions that are not moral questions?
Questions like:
Which job offer should I take?
What college should I attend?
How should I navigate a complicated business decision?
Should our family make a financial change to help our children?
For these kinds of decisions, God has given us an important tool: wise counsel.
The Story of Rehoboam
To see this principle in action, we looked at the story of Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12.
At this point in Israel’s history, the nation had existed for about 120 years under three kings:
Saul – a troubled beginning.David – a strong and faithful leader.Solomon – a wise king whose later years became complicated.
Solomon’s lavish lifestyle, heavy taxation, and forced labor created tension within the nation. God had already revealed that the kingdom would eventually be divided after Solomon’s death.
When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam prepared to take the throne. However, succession was not automatic. Rehoboam needed the tribes of Israel to support his leadership.
The people approached him with a request:
“Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore lighten the burdensome service of your father… and we will serve you.” (1 Kings 12:4)
They were not rejecting him as king. They were asking what kind of leader he would be.
Rehoboam wisely asked for three days to consider his answer.
The Power of Counsel
During those three days, Rehoboam sought advice from two different groups.
First, he consulted the older advisors who had served his father Solomon. These men had experience, wisdom, and a long perspective on leadership.
They told him:
“If you will be a servant to these people today… then they will be your servants forever.” (1 Kings 12:7)
Their advice was simple: lead with humility and service.
But Rehoboam rejected their counsel and instead asked the opinion of the young men he had grown up with. These were his peers who had little leadership experience and had grown up in the same royal comfort he had.
Their advice was very different. They told him to show strength and increase the burden on the people.
Rehoboam followed their advice, responding harshly to the nation. As a result, the kingdom split into two.
A Picture of God’s Providence
Interestingly, Scripture tells us that this outcome ultimately fulfilled God’s plan. God knew the decision Rehoboam would make and used it to accomplish His sovereign purpose.
Yet the story also highlights a powerful lesson: our decisions are deeply influenced by the people we invite into them.
The Role of Wise Counsel
Sometimes people imagine discovering God’s will as something done alone—reading a Bible, walking in the woods, and waiting for a moment of inspiration.
Personal prayer and Scripture are essential, but the Bible consistently teaches that God uses other people to help guide us.
Proverbs reminds us of this truth repeatedly:
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
God designed believers to help one another discern wisdom.
The truth is, we all have blind spots.
We struggle to see clearly when:
emotions are high
relationships are complicated
we lack experience
our pride is involved
Wise counsel helps illuminate those blind spots.
Choosing the Right Counsel
Not every voice is helpful, so we must be intentional about who we invite into our decisions.
Wise counsel often comes from people who:
Are mature believers living according to God’s will
Have nothing to lose by telling you the truth
Are further down the road in life or experience
Can speak honestly into your situation
And just as importantly, we must approach those conversations with humility and honesty.
Questions to Ask
When seeking counsel, a few simple questions can help bring clarity:
Are any of the options I’m considering outside the boundaries of Scripture?
What do you think the wise thing for me to do is?
What would you do if you were in my position?
These questions invite wisdom rather than simply looking for someone to confirm what we already want to do.
The Challenge of Pride
Two things often prevent people from seeking wise counsel.
First is pride—the belief that we should be able to figure everything out on our own.
Second is justification—sometimes we don’t want direction; we simply want someone to agree with us.
But Scripture reminds us that wisdom grows when we listen.
God has not left us alone to navigate life’s decisions. Through Scripture, His Spirit, and the wise people He places in our lives, He continues to guide us toward the paths He has prepared.
And when we walk humbly, seeking wisdom together, we often discover the direction God has been leading us all along.
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