Seek First the Counsel of the Lord

“First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.” – 1 Kings 22:5

In a world filled with opinions, advice, and endless information, it’s easy to make decisions based on what seems logical or what everyone else is doing. Yet Jehoshaphat’s simple request before going into battle remains profoundly relevant today: “seek first the counsel of the LORD.”

Notice the emphasis on first. Jehoshaphat didn’t suggest seeking God as a last resort after every other option had been exhausted. He understood that before strategies were formed, alliances were made, or plans were finalized, God’s wisdom was needed.

As followers of Christ, we can tend to reverse that order. We make the decision, create the plan, seek the advice of friends, research online, and then ask God to bless what we’ve already chosen. What we see here is that we need to begin with God Himself. Seek first God’s direction. 

Seeking God’s counsel means intentionally bringing our decisions before Him in prayer, reading His Word with an open heart, and being willing to obey what He reveals. It is an act of trust that acknowledges His wisdom is greater than our own and His perspective reaches far beyond what we can see.

Practically, this can shape our daily lives in meaningful ways. Before responding to a difficult email, pause to pray for wisdom. Before accepting a new opportunity, ask whether it aligns with God’s priorities for your life. Before making a significant financial, career, or family decision, seek first God’s will by spending time in Bible and prayer instead of relying only on your own reasoning. Invite trusted, mature believers to offer biblical counsel that points you toward God’s truth rather than simply affirming your preferences.

Seeking God first doesn’t guarantee that every decision will be easy, but it does place our hearts in the best position to follow His leading. Often, the greatest blessing is not simply receiving the answer we want but growing in our relationship with the One who guides us.

Today, whatever decision is before you—large or small—remember Jehoshaphat’s example. Before you act, before you speak, before you decide, seek first the counsel of the Lord. He delights in giving wisdom to those who earnestly seek Him, and there is no safer place to begin than in His presence.