Have you ever noticed that whenever you need to make a difficult decision, everyone around you immediately becomes an expert on what you should do? To make it worse, not only are they all experts and know exactly what you ought to do, they also all disagree! Wise counselors are a blessing, but what do you do when they disagree? It’s an immense blessing when you seek the wisdom of men and women you trust and they speak with one voice. It can be exceedingly difficult when three counselors have three different opinions! Maybe you’ve been there. What do you do? Consider three principles.

Live for the judgement of one. Consider the Apostle Paul; slandered and attacked, critiqued and judged, discredited and undermined. You could imagine the temptation to try and make decisions that keep everyone happy, to labor to be loved and liked, to act in such a way to release the heat. Yet Paul has no such desire. He knows that a day of accounting is on the way. That one day he will stand before the judgment throne of God and give a report of all that he has done. This fact motivated him to live for God alone.

Paul could say, “It is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:3–5)

Wisely take counsel, but in the end, make the decision that you will be glad to own before the judgment of God, because you are the only one who will give an account for your decision and action.

Live for the will of one. Consider Jesus; surrounded by disciples and religious experts who knew exactly how he ought to act. There was the temptation to avoid the cross by heeding the suggestion of the devil, the counsel of Peter not to give up his life, the forceful invitation of the crowd to make him king, and the attempts of the religious experts to cowtail him into conformity to their standards.

What would he do? Jesus would reply to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about…My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:32–34) Jesus Christ lived for the will of one, his Father in heaven. Now, there is an important reminder we need to make here. When we hear “will,” we often think of the secret will of God. Jesus is not saying that his food is to obey the secret will of God that he has discovered. Rather, he is stating that his bread and butter is to obey God’s revealed will.

So it is with us. At the end of the day, the Lord has made known to us what he requires of us. Take up the book and read it so that “you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

Live for the glory of one. Consider Jesus again; who came from glory, humbling himself to the point of a slave, even to death on a cross. Just before giving up his life, he prayed, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:1, 4)

The Westminster Shorter Catechism famously reminds you that your chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. When you are stuck wondering what to do and everyone knows exactly what you should do, remember that you have been created by God to live for His glory alone. Do whatever you believe will promote the glory of God.

God has equipped you with everything you need to serve Him for His glory, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:10–11) So, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)