8 ways to know if your friends advice is bad

8. Does the advice align with my personal mission or calling?

According to Scripture, God has a clear and definite plan for each of us. Collectively, we’re to grow closer to Christ and proclaim His grace. But God has given each of us unique and deeply fulfilling ways to reveal Him and show His love. Though our God-assigned roles may change over time, they will often fit our passions and desires. Life presents all of us with more ways to use our time than there are hours in each day, therefore we must be prayerfully selective. When we consider our individual missions, many decisions, including what advice to follow, becomes clearer.

Ephesians 5:16-17 tells us to “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

In short, God has much planned for us, much for each of us to do, and His plans are always so very good. We simply can’t waste a moment or ounce of energy on anything else.

When facing hard decisions, most of us seek other people’s insight, and while that’s not wrong, we do need to make sure we’re listening wisely. When we check everything we hear against the truth of Scripture and God’s call to love, take time to evaluate our advising friend with honesty and depth, and consider our personal values and how God might be leading us, we’ll be better able to discern the merit of the counsel we receive.

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and speaker who’s addressed women’s groups, Bible studies, and writers nationwide. She’s the author of the soon to release Building a Family, the Faith Over Fear Bible reading plan, and numerous other titles and maintains a devotional blog at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com. She’s also the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries. Visit her online to learn more about her speaking or to book her for your next women’s event and sign up for her free quarterly newsletter HERE and make sure to connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.