I confess. Sometimes my pride blinds me from taking the route to success. But in this case, humility and wisdom won.

It’s your keyboard,” my friend told me. “You need to do something about that.”

At first, I didn’t listen to her. She warned me again, actually, she insisted on it. But did I listen? No. Then my shoulder started to feel a tad inflamed.

I realized the reason: my keyboard was so worn, the keys were stuck, requiring me to press a lot harder than I should.

Finally, I listened to my very wise friend. Got a new keyboard. Now, as I write this to you, my fingers are happy, and my shoulder feels great too.

3 ways out of a sticky situation.

Even if you don’t have an old keyboard, sticky situations happen, hardships appear, and conflicts barge in. That’s life, but before they cause pain, try seeking good counsel. Here are three ways to find it:

1. Surround yourself with friends who build you up, who enrich your life and give good counsel. “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel” (Proverbs 27:9 NIV).

2. Open your mind, expand your knowledge, enlarge your territory with many friends and mentors who have been where you are and who are where you want to be. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 17:22 NIV).

3. Most importantly, trust, believe and receive God’s council. “I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 16:7-8).

Success arrives when you receive God’s counsel, you listen to a friend’s warning, and heed a mentor’s guidance.

Let’s Pray: Father how I thank you for Your counsel and for the true friends you send to speak Your words into my situation. I praise You for the many pitfalls I avoided because of Your loving guidance. In Jesus name.

Who counsels you when life gets sticky?

Janet P. Eckles
Igniting Your Passion to Overcome