In my world as a pastor, I talk to lots and lots of people, in all kinds of situations, all kinds of dilemmas: family, financial, marriage, remarriage. You throw a topic out there, and chances are, I’ve had a conversation with someone about it.
As I’ve listened to people share the story of the mess they’re in, or the dilemma they’re facing, or the problems that they’re dealing with, over and over, as sensitively as I know how, I always ask this question: Did you ask anybody about this? Before you signed the deal, did you run this by anybody? Before you got into this investment scheme, did you have anybody else look at 
this? Before you decided to get married, did you ask anybody their advice?
Sadly, much of the time, I hear, “Well, no.” And I’m thinking, “Someone with an average IQ and a little bit of objectivity would have seen that situation and said, ‘Bad decision.'” They’ll say, “No, I didn’t run it by anybody, but I prayed about it.” I’m all for prayer, but God has given us something that’s even more practical than prayer when it comes to getting good, sound advice and direction. God has given us one another.
A lot of the messes we get ourselves into in life could be avoided completely if we invited wise counsel in on the process. God is more than willing to speak to us — and one of God’s primary tools is speaking through wise people.
