Counsel: Instruction given for directing the conduct of another.
After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
John 5: 1-9
For 38 years or 13,870 days, the man in this passage of scripture, had an infirmity. For 1,981 weeks, this man, experienced the discomfort of his infirmity. He experienced 456 months worth of weakness and inability to take care of himself. He spent a total of 19,972,800 minutes of being counseled by his condition.
There is a difference from being counseled in our condition and counseled from our condition. While we are in our conditions, it is always best for us to seek wise counsel. Wise counsel serves as a voice of reason. It provides destiny driven direction. It speaks life and wisdom to our condition. It will remind us that, where we are is not who we are. Wise counsel will direct our gaze to the One that is able to heal, while we are awaiting our healing. It is wise counsel that prepares us for victory in warfare Proverbs 24:6
Wise counsel provides, destiny driven direction.
On the other hand, it is dangerous and unfruitful to seek counsel from what we are in. By doing so, we are seeking instruction, from our condition. This is unfortunately what the man, highlighted in this passage of scripture, had done. His infirmity, literally directed every decision of his life. It counseled him on who he was not, where he couldn't go, what he could not do, and what he could not accomplish. The counsel from his condition, resulted in him believing that his situation was hopeless, and that healing was not an option for him.
When Jesus asked him " Do you want to be made well?" He summarized everything his condition told him. In other words, I can't be healed, there's no hope for me. I'm all alone. I'll never be healed because I can't move fast enough to get to my healing.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.
Psalms 139:1-2
I am so grateful that we are known, in this moment, just as Jesus knew the man with the infirmity. He knew him when his infirmity caused him not only to sit down, but to lie down. In knowing him, he told him to "Rise, take your bed, and walk" The Bible says he was healed immediately.
Jesus, the wonderful counselor, discerned his thoughts of hopelessness from afar. He discerned the poor counsel his condition had provided, and replaced it with the wise counsel he needed. One encounter with wise counsel, disintegrated the previous 38 years of infirmity.
Counsel is weighty and serious advice. As a result, it will cause great impact, either to our benefit or our detriment. The counsel of our condition will always distort the reality of our destiny and encourage complacency. Whereas, choosing the weightiness of wise counsel, establishes our purpose in God. This choice positions us to always be maturing in the things of God, avoiding unnecessary delay, and focusing on our Magnificent Obsession, God our Father.
Thank you, I really need this today.