Good Advice is Good for Nothing

Have you ever been given bad advice? Better yet, have you ever clicked on one of those advertisements for “good” advice?

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Okay, so maybe you haven’t clicked the bait, but be honest… I’m sure we’ve all been tempted to see what advice they have to offer.  

That’s how a majority of us function. We often look for answers to make our lives better. Why? Because we were created with an innate desire for hope. We want quick advice to revolutionize our whole lives or at least something to make our current situation better. So we seek advice. We look for answers. We search for hope.

But, here’s the problem: advice, even good advice, only helps temporarily; it doesn’t actually meet our greatest need.

What we all really need is the good news of Jesus. We need to be reminded that Jesus is the source for all of our answers and the one true place to find hope. Daily, we need to spend time in His presence and be renewed by His goodness. We need to remember that through Christ, we find life, hope, peace, joy, forgiveness, and purpose.

Unfortunately, we tend to believe we need the advice. And far too often, bad advice poses as good advice, because it’s not good news. In fact, here’s some of the worst advice you can take:

Please don’t. Following your heart will lead you exactly where your sinful desires want you to go. Instead, follow Jesus. Allow His Spirit to guide and direct your life so that your life can bear fruit. He will never steer you in the wrong direction. (Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 13:14)

They’re not. Feelings are fickle. They change, often and quickly, so they cannot be trusted. The only absolute truth in our lives is found in Jesus, the living Word of God. He doesn’t change – yesterday, today, or forever. Trust Him, not your feelings. (Hebrews 13:8, 2 Timothy 3:16)

Your life is not actually your own. While this might sound like encouraging advice to help you achieve your goals, it’s actually a lie from the enemy. Jesus loved us so much that he died to give us life. We won’t be fully satisfied by accomplishing much, becoming famous, earning more money, or creating our own identity. It’s only through knowing Jesus and growing in relationship with him that we’ll discover who we truly are. (Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 John 3:1)

A few weeks ago, I was struggling with some things in my own life. I wanted answers. So, I approached a friend who I hoped would give me some helpful advice. My friend patiently listened to all I had to say, but when it came time to respond, he simply said, “Carrie, do you know that God loves you?”

Then he began reminding me of the identity I had in Jesus; the truth about how Christ viewed me; and how I needed to trust that Jesus had my best interest in mind. Those simple truths allowed me to recognize some of the lies I had been believing, and experience how much God loved me. And while all of my “problems” weren’t solved, my perspective on them was.  

I wanted advice, but I needed the good news. And I’m so thankful I got what I needed.