2 Chronicles 23-26, While Joash had Jehoiada, the priest, to guide him, he did well. He knew how to listen and take the advice from another person, but as soon as Jehoiada died, Joash turned from God. He was easily swayed because he did not know how to listen to God, but to man. He never developed a personal relationship with the LORD, and because of this he had no idea about what was right and wrong in the sight of the LORD. Amaziah is another king who did not listen to good advice, but chose to go against God instead. Amaziah started off on the right path, but soon turned against God. He allowed pride and his own desires to get in the way and turned down the wise advise of others. "Joash was seven years old when he became king... Joash did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada...But after Jehoiada's death, the leaders of Judah came and persuaded the king to listen to their advise... The LORD sent prophets to bring them back to Him, but the people would not listen... Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king... Amaziah did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight, but not wholeheartedly."
As I read about the different kings and apply their lives to mine, it amazes me how similarly I have lived my own life. Just like Joash, as long as I had the right people around me, I did pretty good. And just like Amaziah, I did the right thing for a short time, but then I took credit for my success and turned away from God. As I try and help others and as I raise my own children, it is very difficult to not want to tell them exactly what to do and not to do. I almost want to force them, but just like me, we all have our own way of learning things. With my boys, I tell them what can happen if they do certain things, but I must let go and let them experience the consequences of their own decisions. I want them to learn now before the consequences get very hard. We have two college girls living with us and even with them I want to make all of their choices for them. But with my boy and with the girls, they have to learn how to listen to advise and discern what is best. Then we must live with our decisions, good and bad.
This is the hard part, learning how to take the good advise and put away our own desires. Through my years of choosing the wrong path and being determined to do things my own way, I have learned to listen to other people. I know instantly when I am wanting to do things my own way, or if I truly want to do things God's way. If I am determined to do things my way, I will not seek the advise of others. I will do it my way, then talk about it afterwards. Otherwise, I always, at least, talk to my husband about the issue first. In order to be able to get the right advise, we need to be sure that we first learn how to hear God's advise. I love to get the advise from others, because in opening myself up to people, I open myself up to God. Sometimes in listening to others, I can hear God telling me to do the opposite, but the secret is being willing to listen. In this, I am allowing God to speak. In everything that I hear, I must ask myself; How is God speaking to you? Are you wanting to do the right thing, or are you just wanting to do your own thing? Learn to listen to the LORD. Learn to take the wise advise of others that God has given you. Learn to decipher who is speaking from God and who is not. True wisdom starts with surrounding yourself with the right people.
"What is gained from a moment of Passion is only perceived; What is lost is real and permanent."
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