Wisely Giving Up vs. Moving Forward Despite Adversity
Wise counselors can tell you when to go with which option
Good morning!
Do you know when you should listen to your friends versus when you should persevere in faith?
When someone claims to have heard from God, whether directly or indirectly, and they present their vision to their friends, they are opening themselves up for receiving feedback on whatever it is that they believe they should be doing or heading towards.
Sometimes, friends will give blanket approvals and say, “That sounds right to me, go ahead.” Other times, however, friends—the people who genuinely love you, care about you, and only speak with your best interests in mind—will question what you have to say, and they will raise their suspicions.
Sometimes, like Noah, you must obey God and go against all wise counsel and logic and understanding, and build an ark. Other times, however, you need to recognize that your friends—the ones that know both you and the God you claim to hear from—will question what you have to say, not because they don’t believe you, but because they know you are just as human and prone to errors as they are.
In order to truly be wise, one must be able to discern whether the criticism of one’s friends is meant to urge them on to continue even more steadfast with their holy mission, or if it’s meant to be common sense given to break down spiritual disillusionment.
My only recommendation would be to have wise counselors in your life. Seriously, have people that you can keep yourself accountable to, that you can share with about the intricacies of your life, and receive feedback from. Those older people of wisdom are sometimes the only ones that can be detached enough to give you genuine advice, so find them, and keep them close.
God bless you, have a great day!