Opinion

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives truth to put into practice.  Have you ever had an opinion?  Everybody has one – that’s why they’re not worth much.  It might be right, or it might be wrong – it’s an opinion.  Are you willing to change your opinion?  How quickly do you form one?  Is it based on fact, or feeling? principle, or popularity? truth, or something else?   When you hear something, or see something, do you form an opinion? How long does it take you? Or do you consider?  Some people hear something and form an opinion instantly, they don’t even hear the rest of what is being said.  Their opinion is already formed.  The Bereans didn’t do that. They didn’t form an opinion of what Paul said, they just listened intently, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out if what He said was true.  It takes a standard – to validate an opinion.  If you have no standard, or if your standard is faulty, so will your opinion be.  The best standard of truth and life is God’s Word.  He is truth, and He created life, so His Word is the standard.  Any other standard is foolish, proven false every time.  We know a young couple who are considering a significant decision.  One that will impact their life and family and the lives of others.  They are wisely taking the time to seek counsel.  And wiser still, they are holding their opinion, until they seek counsel from those in their circle of counsel whom they respect and value, who give Godly input.  Most people do not seek counsel, and of the few that do, most seek it after the fact.  After they have already made their decision.  Or if not having made the decision, have already decided in their mind what they are going to do.  In fact, that’s what limits most people’s circle of counsel.  Once you have your mind made up, you only seek the counsel of those you think will agree with you.  That actually defeats the purpose of counsel, it negates the benefit of it.   Just like God says, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.  Praying that you will be quick to listen, quick to seek counsel, patient to seek it fully – and slow to form an opinion.  Whomever God leads you to seek counsel from (not experts, but obeyers, who are humble, whose lives produce the fruit of repentance, the fruit of righteousness, and humility).  That you will be slow to form an opinion, but like the Bereans, search the Scriptures daily to see if what you’re considering is true or best for you at this time.  Praying that you will ask God, and trust Him to direct your steps – that you will let Him...  That you’ll base your decisions on wisdom, not opinion.  God says above all else get wisdom.  It’s a process, not a reaction, a searching out, not an opinion.  Praying that God will lead you in wisdom.  A man’s wisdom gives him patience… (Proverbs 19:11).  Not delinquent in decisions, but taking the time to seek out wisdom.  Praying that you’ll value wisdom more than opinion.  That the Holy Spirit will give you discernment, and the patience that wisdom requires.  So you walk in the light of His Word, the counsel of the Holy Spirit, and the exact purpose that God has for you. 
 
Love you all,
dad