But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

As we end the week of focus on the discipline of counsel, I have a confession to make. As I have studied the Disciplines, the discipline of counsel is one that I have struggled with in application. At the root cause of this struggle is pride. For many years I know I operated under the premise that asking for advice is a sign of weakness. Interestingly, as my leadership roles and responsibilities grew in the workplace I quickly changed this view and became a firm believer in the notion that asking for advice can be a sign of strength. So, on the job I practice this discipline extensively. Unfortunately, this change in attitude has not fully transferred into practice in my “non-work” life. Outside work, I find it a lot easier to ask for prayer than to ask for advice. From my work experience, I know that this Discipline can have a materially positive impact but I need to apply it more in all areas of my life.

Just in case you are wondering whether you can rely on anything I have written earlier this week in light of my struggle, don’t worry:

1. The material is in alignment with the Bible and ultimately, the counsel we are after must be from God (His wisdom is above all others)
2. The concepts come from people who do a lot better at this than me :-).

So, as I close out this week, I ask not only for your prayers but also your advice.