Day 164: Job 40:24 - Psalms 4:1

I'm so glad to see that the book of Job ended on a positive note. I kinda figured it would, but for a while I was a little worried. It's fascinating to see the effects that counsel had on Job depending on who he got it from. When his "friends" were trying to help him, all they really ended up doing was upsetting him and making everything worse. They tried to feed him a bunch of their opinions and "insights" and it just made Job even more mad than he was before. Then came Elihu and he told Job exactly what God was telling him. And although Job didn't necessarily fall to his knees and decide to repent and turn everything around right then and there, but he did shut up and hear what his real friend had to say. And then finally, God spoke directly to Job. It's interesting to note that only after God spoke directly to him did he decide to change his mind and follow God. I believe these three levels of advice very directly correspond to the levels of advice that we as believers seek out and face on a regular basis. There is a certain level of advice that the world will always offer us whether we want it or not. This type of advice will only make matters worse. Then there is the type of advice that one would hear in a church service. Although what the person is saying may not be a direct and specific word to you regarding your circumstances, the Biblical principles are enough to at least get you thinking and ready to search for a new way. And then finally, the way to truly be at the place to turn everything around is it get a real Word from God. When God truly speaks to us, there's no possible way that we would be able to ignore what He said. His words are truth and if we will follow them, they will lead us out of the darkness and into the place God has called us. 

- Father, help me to choose carefully the type of counsel I receive. There are alot of believers who end up messing things up because they take advice from the wrong people, and I don't want to end up like them. Father, I pray that You speak to me and show me the way out of this pit and into Your presence. -