What We Miss When We Go to Others First - Encouragement for Today - June 4, 2026
What We Miss When We Go to Others First
ABBY MCDONALD
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“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)
As I inched closer to the front of the line, I rehearsed my question in my head, certain my pastor would know the answer. But when I asked him, he responded in a way I didn’t expect: “I don’t know.”
For months, I’d worried about a loved one who was making poor choices and causing our family a lot of heartache. I wanted reassurance about this person’s relationship with God. But instead of taking my concerns to God Himself, I looked for answers elsewhere. And I left with more questions.
Many of us are trying to find certainty in this world that feels so unstable. Questions can keep us up at night and cause continuous, low-grade anxiety.
When will the sickness end?
Will my family member stop running from God?
How will I know whether to take the job?
Too often, we go to others first — online “experts,” friends, even pastors — instead of God. Scripture instructs us to seek wise counsel, yet it's also clear that the most “Wonderful Counselor” is God Himself (Isaiah 9:6, NIV).
Thanks be to God, He is ready and willing to speak to us when we come to Him. When we don’t, we miss out on a beautiful gift He offers each of us who calls Him Lord: the ability to hear His voice.
Our key verse reminds us that some things can only be revealed to us by the Creator: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).
The prophet Jeremiah asked God many questions. He longed for justice and wondered why the wicked seemed to prosper. He begged a defiant, wayward Israel to return to the Lord, though they didn’t listen. When it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, Jeremiah was kidnapped by rebels and taken to Egypt. There, in the middle of what seemed like a hopeless situation, the word of the Lord came to him.
God reminded Jeremiah that He still had a plan for Israel’s redemption. Every question Jeremiah asked had an answer, even if it didn't look the way he thought it would.
My question had an answer too. Over the next few weeks after the conversation with my pastor, I came to respect his “I don’t know” more and more. It pushed me to go to the One who knows all things, and through my wrestling with God, my faith grew.
Friend, seeking God for ourselves takes courage. It takes putting aside our desire for immediate answers and practicing patience. But when we do, we foster our ability to hear Him. And it’s always worth it.
God, thank You for Your promise to speak to each one of us who calls You Lord. When we’re tempted to trade this for a quick answer, help us remember the priceless gift we have in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
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ENGAGE
Have you ever felt God prompting you to do something but wondered whether it was His voice? Learn more about this in Abby’s new book, Surrendering Certainty, and connect with her on her website.
Are there areas of your spiritual life where you can’t seem to find breakthrough? Take Abby’s “5 Days to Life Unstuck” Challenge.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (NIV).
When you have a big question or decision to make, do you tend to seek advice from others, the internet, or other places before seeking God? How might you create a habit of seeking God’s voice first before going to others? Tell us about it in the comments.
© 2026 by Abby McDonald. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
