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Aug 31, 2025 06:00am

The Best Advice I Ever Received

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Many years ago, my husband and I faced a very difficult season. We were facing some really hard times, some of which were caused by our own poor decisions, but many were just us being affected by circumstances and the decisions of others.

We were facing weighty decisions. My heart felt so heavy. Life felt so heavy. We wanted to make the right decisions to move forward in obedience. We wanted to learn from our past and definitely desired to avoid making any repeat or new mistakes.

My husband and I were serving in the children’s ministry with a sweet friend. She prayed and supported us as we worked through that season.

As the days passed, my friend listened kindly and prayed with me often. She listened compassionately, even when I ranted about the frustrating things that were outside of our control. She didn’t encourage my ranting, but she would respond compassionately and lovingly.

I remember the moment she gave me the best advice I have ever gotten. It stuck like glue, changed my perspective, and influenced how I have faced trials from that day forward.

(This was before we had Bible apps at our disposal—in the ancient days of the early 2000s, by the way.)

My sweet friend, without an ounce of judgment or condemnation, with abundant love, listened to me fret. When I finished, she gave me the best advice.

She told me to set a Bible by my sink, in the bathroom, in my car, by my bed, and anywhere else I might stop for a moment. She said, “Any time you find yourself with a free moment, pick up the Bible, and just read—wherever you open it—until you move on to something else. Don’t let your mind dwell on frustrations. Just fill your idle mind with only God’s Word.”

I did exactly that.

Every moment I would normally let myself grumble in my mind, I just read the Bible.

It was transformative.

God eased my anxiety, lessened my frustration, refocused my heart on Him, and helped me see through His eyes, rather than my sinful, self-focused perspective.

I was able to pray more sincerely, with less selfishness. My husband and I made decisions with more confidence. Our confidence had nothing to do with ourselves. We felt such peace, because we were allowing God’s Word and our conversations with Him to drive our hearts.

Our friend, as much of a beautiful blessing she is, isn’t without flaws. She doesn’t always get everything right. The advice she gave us is directly from the Bible. That’s why it is the best advice I have ever received, and I believe it’s the best advice I have ever passed along since then.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you’ll have good success.” Joshua 1:8

When my thoughts are full of God’s Word (The Book of the Law), it changes the way I make decisions.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Meditating on God’s Word, rather than my own ranting, helps me resist conforming to the world or my first reaction and transforms and renews my mind.