A Devotional thought from Pastor Mike:“
The Counsel That Shapes Us” Psalm 1
Life comes at us full of choices. Some feel forgettable in the moment—small, passing, seemingly harmless. Others arrive like crossroads, demanding attention and weighing heavy on our souls.
But here’s the paradox: a single, quiet choice can change everything. And what once felt like a life-altering decision might end up forgotten in the rearview. That’s the conundrum, isn’t it?
Take something as simple as the road you drive or the conversation you entertain—it might lead nowhere, or it might lead to transformation. Behind it all, there’s something deeper at work: the voice that shapes your direction.
The truth is, we don’t choose in isolation. We choose under influence. We walk the paths we’ve been advised to walk. We follow the counsel we’ve received—whether we realize it or not.
Imagine this: you're planning an investment. If you lean on someone with no experience, no understanding, no fruit in their own journey, that choice is risky at best. But seek guidance from someone seasoned, someone wise, and the outcome begins to shift.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. Psalm 1 says it clearly:
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water...” (Psalm 1:1–3)This psalm reminds us that the rooted life—the life that bears fruit in all seasons—isn’t built on one massive decision. It’s shaped in the daily rhythms: where we walk, who we listen to, and how we soak in the steady presence of God.
God’s Word doesn’t just inform us—it forms us. And the more we delight in it, the more we’ll find ourselves walking paths that lead to life, not dryness. Blessing, not barrenness.Every choice you make today—big or small—is leading you somewhere. The question is: whose counsel are you walking in?
Closing Praye
Father God, Thank You for this day and for every blessing You’ve poured into it—seen and unseen. Stir in me a deep hunger for Your Word, not just to admire it from a distance, but to be immersed in it—rooted like the tree You describe, soaking in truth day and night.Give me not only the desire to grow, but the wantonness—an ache in my soul—to know You more deeply. Let my choices today reflect the counsel of Your voice and the delight of Your presence.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.