A Grave Decision

I had come to rely on him for Godly wisdom. 

Acts 20:13-38

Reference: Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32 NIV)

Explore: In the month leading up to my father’s death I had a very big decision to make. I was incredibly confused and struggled to know what God would have me do.

So, even though my dad was gravely ill, I went to him for advice. In the past my father had been able to give me very helpful advice. He had been diligent to build his understanding of God and to apply it to his life. I had come to rely on him for Godly wisdom.

I knew he was very sick, but I really needed his wisdom, more than I had ever needed it before. And so I called him for advice.

I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember that it was not helpful. My poor dad was so unwell that he really didn’t have the capacity to understand my complex situation. While I had known about my father’s physical illness for a long time, this was the first occurrence where he had not been mentally capable.

Application: It is wonderful to have people around us who can support us and advise us when we’re in need. However, the reality is that people change, move location and, in my case, even pass away. This does not mean that we don’t ask people for assistance but it means that, in the end, the decision is still ours.

We need to be diligent ourselves in exploring God’s word and building our stores of wisdom on how to live.

Paul was an incredible source of wisdom and guidance to many people. However, his call was not to stay in the one place but to help many. Each new faith community needed to build their own connections with God, not rely on Paul.

In a way, this was a healthy relationship. Our gracious God is available to all of us and has greater wisdom than even the greatest apostle. It’s wonderful to draw on the assistance of others, but we must learn to stand on our own faith and rely solely on God.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the wise and faithful people You have brought into my life. May I continue to grow in my understanding of You so that I can make wise decisions at all times. Amen.

How do you go about making challenging decisions?

Acts, decisions, faith, Paul, understanding, wisdom