A few years ago my husband and I found ourselves having to make a very unpopular decision.  It was a decision that would affect our little family in the most dramatic way.  Everything we knew would change, and everyone we knew would not be on board.  We found ourselves completely torn over the decision and kept it quiet for several months telling only our parents until we knew that we had heard from God.  After we were confident, we shared it with those around us.  It was hard.  It hurt.  I remember the resounding question that we faced was, why didn’t you come to us and gain some perspective.  That question is hard to answer when you are staring some great friends in the face.  But we knew that God had spoken to both of us extremely clear.  When God speaks, whatever He says is the answer.  Some of our friends tried to talk us out of the decision, but we remained confident in the fact that God was working.  If Eddie and I didn't make the unpopular decision we would not be experiencing what we are today.

In my reading this morning I was so intrigued by these verses in Galatians 1:15-16,

But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and CALLED me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I DID NOT IMMEDIATELY CONSULT WITH FLESH AND BLOOD.

Wow, Paul said something amazing here!!  Paul was on his way to persecute Christians, and God got ahold of him and He got saved!! Right when Paul got saved he knew that he was called by God to preach the gospel, something that he was persecuting other Christians for doing minutes before. If Paul would have consulted his friends right after his conversion, he would have been laughed at and would have been heavily influenced to NOT preach the message of grace. After all, Paul’s friends were the same guys that wanted Jesus dead.  If Paul would of listened to them what would that have done for the message of the gospel???  Paul, the greatest missionary that ever lived, could have been silenced because of the advice of men.

Don’t get me wrong here, God a lot of times confirms His call on your life through godly counsel.  My challenge today is when you are sure that God is telling you to do something, ask God to confirm it through GODLY counsel.  As women, we have a problem of asking anyone who will listen for direction, and although well-meaning, some people are not in tune with what God is telling you to do. When you ask everyone you run the risk of being talked out of one of the most amazing moments of you life.

This passage in James is a great guideline for advice.

the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  James 1:17

When God speaks, listen.