Digging Wells: The Well of Godly Counsel

There are many wells the Lord calls us to dig so that we can live strong, steady, and fruitful lives. One of these is the well of godly counsel. If we neglect this well, we risk living by what seems right in our own eyes — and Scripture tells us that this is the way of a fool. God has given us His Word as our foundation, but He has also designed us to walk with others, to receive wisdom, and to grow through godly relationships.

For generations, our culture has leaned heavily toward self-direction and self-authority. Cindy Jacobs, in her book Reformers Arise, explains how the Age of Enlightenment elevated human reason above God’s truth. Anything in Scripture that could not be explained rationally was set aside. Over time, this produced a mindset where personal preference became the test for truth, and morality shifted with whatever an individual felt. We see the result all around us. When each person becomes their own final authority, confusion and instability follow.

Yet God has shown us a different way.

Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world, stand strong because they are rooted together.

How Do Redwoods Get so Tall?

Redwoods, the tallest trees in the world, don’t reach colossal heights because they have long, deep tap roots. They stand because their many roots spread wide and intertwine with the roots of neighboring trees, linking arms with their brothers and sisters. It’s this hidden network that gives them the strength to withstand storms and reach such height. God intended His people to live the same way — connected, submitted, and strengthened by others God has placed around us.

God’s Word is always our plumb line. We go to Him first. We measure everything by Scripture. But the Bible itself also teaches the importance of counsel. Proverbs 12:15 says:

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.” 

Even though we seek the Lord directly, He often confirms and applies His truth to our lives through godly people. Counsel is not a replacement for hearing God, but it is part of how God leads us, protects us, and strengthens us.

Scripture gives us several clear examples.

“Two are better than one… For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12)This shows us that we were never meant to stand alone. There will be times when we stumble or grow weary. Godly relationships help lift us, steady us, and keep us moving forward.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts… so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12–14)Here we are reminded that every believer has a part to play. We function as God intended when our lives are joined to others in the body. Isolation makes us ineffective; connection allows us to operate in our God-given purpose.

“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” (Proverbs 19:20)Wisdom grows in those who are willing to receive instruction and correction. Godly counsel helps realign us when we drift and brings clarity when emotions cloud our judgment.

Each passage shows the same truth from a different angle:we need one another, and God uses others to help shape and strengthen us.

God never intended us to walk alone. He placed us in families, both natural and spiritual, because we need the strength, correction, and balance that come from others. Wise counsel helps steady our hearts. It brings perspective we may not see on our own and keeps us aligned with the truth of God’s Word.

Seeking Counsel

Scripture also warns us about the kind of counsel we choose.Paul writes of people who gather teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)If we only seek out voices that agree with us, we will eventually drift. Godly counsel does not simply affirm our desires; it helps shape them according to truth. We need people who fear the Lord, who live by the Word, and who have a proven history of obeying God even when it is costly.

The book of Proverbs tells us to seek wisdom as treasure (Proverbs 2). Wisdom is not found by accident. We pursue it. We ask for it. We humble ourselves enough to learn from others who have walked faithfully with God over time. Part of growing in wisdom is being willing to sit at another’s feet and receive instruction — while keeping Jesus alone on the throne of our hearts.

Becoming a Source of Godly Counsel

Godly counsel is not only something we receive; it is something we grow into. As we walk with the Lord, He forms in us the kind of character that can strengthen others. Scripture says, “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 13:14). Wise counsel does not come from strong opinions or personal preference, but from a life submitted to God, shaped by His Word, and tested through obedience.

When people come to us for guidance, our role is not to give them what we think, or what will make them feel better in the moment, but to point them to Christ and to His truth. Godly counsel always leads people toward the Lord, not toward ourselves. As we grow in wisdom, we become part of the very network God uses to steady and strengthen others.

Digging the Well of Wise Counsel

But how do we dig this well and learn to live from a heart posture that seeks out or recognizes wise counsel?

One way is to choose an area of your life where you are asking God for something — a way out, a new direction, a breakthrough. Take it before the Lord first. Ask Him to speak, to guide, and to make His Word clear.

After you have sought Him for yourself, ask the Holy Spirit if there is someone He has placed in your life who can help confirm or sharpen what He is already saying, a godly person who loves the Word, who walks in humility, and who has consistently demonstrated the fruit of aligning their life with Scripture, even when obedience has come at a cost.

The goal is not to replace God’s voice with another’s, but to allow Him to use the body of Christ to steady and strengthen you, and to begin experiencing the beautiful unity that comes from walking things out with others.

Ask:

• Lord, is there someone I should invite to speak into this area?

• Is there correction I need to receive?

• Is there wisdom I have been resisting?

  
  

Seek Him first.

Walk in humility.

Let both work together.

Digging this well will keep the channels open for wisdom to pour into our lives, and then out of us to others.

Everyone needs counsel throughout life. Wise people seek it and gladly receive it. Fools ignore it, even when it is offered.

Let us choose, then, to draw deeply from this well. Let our lives be joined with brothers and sisters in Christ who help us walk in truth. Let us be quick to seek wisdom and willing to learn from the godly relationships the Lord has given us. As we do, we will stand stronger, grow deeper, and walk more faithfully in the ways of God.

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