What should we do when there is an important choice to make—when we aren’t sure which direction to go—or when there seems to be no answer to a problem? If we happen to share our quandary out loud, there is no lack of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, or even complete strangers who volunteer well-meaning advice. Or, we may be the ones wanting to help others by recommending a solution. Such advice might be somewhat helpful, or it might send the recipient off in the wrong direction altogether, perhaps making the situation worse. Either way, it can’t provide the infallibly clear and reliable guidance that comes through God’s direct communication with and deep love for each of us.

For thousands of years, the Bible has been a consistently reliable source of sound wisdom. In the book of Isaiah we find this promise: “Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (30:21). And when a lawyer asked Christ Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus immediately referred him to the Bible: “What is written in the law?” (Luke 10:25, 26).

In turning to God, we are quieting human opinions and seeking guidance from the source of all good.