Road Rules: Self-Counsel

In the book Worn Out By Obedience, I wrote that “self-counsel is a solo exercise in which I rationalize my actions and always get my way. In the process, I set aside God’s promises and insert my plans based on how I feel at the moment. Self-counsel ultimately leads to self-deception.” One proverb puts it this way, 

Proverbs 28:26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.

Scripture is filled with the foolish actions of trusting our mind. 

• Self-counsel began in the garden. Eve bought what Satan was selling and decided to trust him rather than God. That decision didn’t end well for any of us. 

• Cain’s emotions against his brother, Abel, led him to disregard God’s counsel. That didn’t end well for either brother. 

• Sarah’s inability to have children led to self-counsel. She decided to give her maidservant, Hagar, to Abraham. Hagar had a son, and Sarah had a fit. That didn’t end well for Abraham or Hagar and her son. 

• Self-counsel led David to jettison God’s promises and move into enemy territory. After eighteen months of foolish living, the Amalekites captured the wives and children of his soldiers. That didn’t end well for David as his men contemplated stoning him. 

The proverb bluntly says, “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool.” But when you walk in the wisdom of God and his Word, you will save yourself from some devastating decisions.  Father, help me think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Help me trust your promises, not my self-centered and self-destructive self-counsel. Give me the wisdom to trust and follow you and surround myself with others who will talk me through any foolish self-counsel. In Jesus’ name. Amen. So, keep talking to God. What are some areas where you are trusting your own mind and desires instead of trusting in God’s promises and purposes for you? Confess your self-counsel and commit today to surround yourself with godly friends who will keep you accountable.