Verse of the Day
2 Samuel 16:20
Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your advice. What should we do?”
In this verse, we find Absalom seeking counsel after seizing his father’s throne. The moment captures something universal: the human instinct to seek direction during upheaval. Yet the context reveals a deeper truth. Absalom was standing in a place of betrayal, surrounded by advisors who would lead him further from peace, not toward it.
Sometimes the question itself reveals where our hearts have wandered. Absalom was not asking how to restore relationship or repair what was broken. He was asking how to solidify power he had taken through manipulation and pride. The advice he sought was not grounded in wisdom or righteousness. It was strategy without surrender.
Quiet Prayer
Father, I acknowledge the times I have sought counsel that confirms my own plans rather than Your will. Forgive me for the moments I have positioned myself where I should not be and then asked You to bless it. Help me discern between wise guidance that draws me closer to You and advice that only serves my comfort or control. Teach me to seek Your peace, not just solutions that quiet my anxiety. I trust that Your direction leads to healing, even when it requires humility I would rather avoid.
Devotional Reflection
Absalom’s question seems reasonable on the surface. He wanted advice. He gathered counselors. But the foundation of his position was rebellion. No amount of strategic planning could turn betrayal into blessing. The counsel he received would lead him deeper into chaos, further from reconciliation, and ultimately to his own destruction.
We can find ourselves in similar patterns. We make decisions rooted in fear, pride, or self-protection, and then we look for confirmation that we did the right thing. We ask trusted friends what they think, hoping they will validate the path we have already chosen. We pray for peace about a direction we have already committed to, rather than seeking God’s actual will.
There is a difference between seeking wisdom and seeking reassurance. Wisdom invites correction. Reassurance often resists it. When you are truly open to God’s guidance, you are willing to hear that you may need to change course, apologize, wait longer, or release control. But when you are seeking validation, you are looking for permission to stay exactly where you are.
Absalom surrounded himself with people who would tell him what he wanted to hear. That is not the same as surrounding yourself with godly counsel. Real wisdom will sometimes challenge you. It will ask hard questions. It will point you back to scripture, back to humility, back to trust in God rather than confidence in your own understanding.
If you are in a healing season, part of that healing may involve recognizing where you have sought the wrong kind of advice. It may mean admitting that you have been asking the wrong questions. Healing does not come from justifying your position. It comes from surrendering it and allowing God to restore what has been broken, even if that process is uncomfortable.
Peace is not found in having all the answers. It is found in trusting the One who does. Absalom wanted a plan. What he needed was repentance. He wanted strategy. What he needed was reconciliation. The same can be true for us. We want to know what to do next, but God may be asking us to stop, turn around, and come back to Him first.
This verse reminds us that the counsel we seek matters, but so does the posture of our hearts when we seek it. Are you asking God to bless your agenda, or are you willing to lay down your agenda and ask Him what He wants? Are you looking for someone to agree with you, or are you genuinely open to correction?
God’s peace is not a reward for making the right strategic moves. It is a gift that comes from abiding in Him, even when that means releasing control, admitting you were wrong, or choosing the harder path of humility and trust.
Today’s Practice
Bring one situation to God where you have been seeking validation rather than true wisdom. Ask Him honestly if your heart is open to His direction, even if it means changing course. Write down what He reveals and consider one person you trust who will speak truth to you rather than simply agreeing with what you want to hear.
