When the Lord called me to get involved in a serious situation that had become a tangled mess, I first resisted the idea. I confess that my attitude was, "I didn't make the mess, so why should I have to clean it up?" But after the Lord repeatedly dealt with me about the matter, I finally gave in and did the hard work of trying to bring some balance and sanity to it.

When I asked the Lord how anyone could make such a long series of bad decisions, He led me to His Word in John 8:46 (NIV): "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." The people who were in authority in this situation were not hearing from God simply because they didn't belong to Him. It didn't even enter their minds to consult the Lord before they made life-altering decisions for the people involved. As a result, a lot of irreversible damage was done.

Scripture says: "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment." (Proverbs 9:10 NLT) The truth is that people who do not fear and respect God are doomed to making poor decisions on a regular basis. On the other hand, those of us who are devoted to the Lord have the privilege of consulting Someone who sees the future, who is wiser than the wisest of men, and who can do what no human has ever been capable of.

Jesus said that His sheep would hear His voice (John 10:27), so if you are a follower of Christ, you have the greatest source of wisdom and power at your disposal, and you are not doomed to using poor judgment when you face life-altering decisions, or even minor ones. What is it that the Lord wants you to consult Him about today?

Prayer: Lord, work in my heart so that whenever I have a decision to make, my first thought will be to turn to You for Your perspective and counsel. Remind me that You have promised to generously provide me with wisdom when I ask You for it. (James 1:5) Give me revelation from heaven, and help me to apply it to my own life, and to share it with others in life-changing ways. Thank You that as I reverence You and Your Word - and give You first place in my life - I will experience life at its very best!