March 13, 2026 Devo

There was a really sad story I read several years ago about a teacher in Wisconsin who got scammed out of her life savings. When she realized she had been taken, she ended up going to the Better Business Bureau to report what happened. She told the empathetic agent how she basically lost everything she was counting on for the future. The agent shook his head and said, “I am so sorry this happened. We’ve had a couple of reports of similar things with other people.” Then he asked, “Why didn’t you come to us first and check this guy out before investing so much money with him?” The teacher hung her head and said, “I thought about that. But he made it sound so good, I was afraid you’d tell me not to do it.”
That teacher’s statement is a great insight into human nature. We tend to make our plans and cultivate our relationships based on what we FEEL or WANT, rather than what we NEED. When we feel it or want it strongly enough, we do it without consulting God or wise counselors who can give us guidance. The consequences can often be disastrous.
I remember a woman some years ago who fell in love with a guy who was not a nice person. In fact, there were some things about him that were downright scary. A few of us who loved her tried to point out what we saw, but she wouldn’t listen. I remember when they came into my office and talked about getting married. He was so obvious in his lack of concern for her that I said to her in front of him, “Don’t marry this guy! He doesn’t love you or even want to be with you.” But she married him anyway. The end result, of course, was a horrible mess.
God reminds us through the prophet Isaiah that He is there for us as an Advisor and a Guide. He knows what is best for our lives and wants to position us to be blessed and protected. When we ignore the Lord, we put ourselves at great risk. When we don’t seek His Spirit, we lose the greatest resource life has to offer. When we reject His counsel, like the teacher in Wisconsin, we stand to face untold pain and lose more than we can even imagine. Don’t make major life decisions without consulting the Lord. Don’t enter into binding relationships without leaning into His Spirit and seeking out wise counsel. Take it from those of us who wear the scars of our own poor choices. God’s way is better. That’s God’s Word for you today.