Day 26:
The Wonderful Counselor
“…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor…” Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
Morning Devotion
Some days, the hardest thing to find is not time or energy. It is clarity.
We stand at the crossroads of decisions, listening to a thousand voices pulling us in different directions, and we whisper under our breath, “Lord, what do I do?”
That is when this name comes alive.
Jesus is not just a counselor. He is the Wonderful Counselor, full of wisdom that never fails, compassion that never condemns, and guidance that never leads astray.
When the world’s noise grows louder than your faith, He invites you to a quieter conversation, one that starts not with answers but with His presence.
A Porch Story
I will never forget the night I sat on the porch wrestling with a decision that felt too big for me. The air was thick with humidity and hesitation. I had my Bible open but my heart closed, torn between what made sense and what felt right.
Out of habit, I reached for my phone to text a friend for advice. But before I could type, I felt that gentle nudge from the Spirit: “Ask Me first.”
So I did. I laid it all out, the confusion, the fear, the options. No fancy words, just honesty.
In the stillness that followed, a verse I had not thought about in months rose up from memory:
“Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it.” Isaiah 30:21 (KJV)
It was not thunder or lightning. It was peace. The Wonderful Counselor had spoken, not with commands, but with calm.
That moment changed how I pray.
Now, before I run to people, I go to the porch. Before I search the internet, I search the Word. The best counsel does not come from Google. It comes from grace.
The Counselor Who Knows
What makes Jesus such a Wonderful Counselor is that He is both divine and deeply understanding.
He is not a distant advisor shouting directions from heaven. He has walked the same roads we do, felt the same temptations, faced the same trials, endured the same pain.
When you pour out your heart to Him, you are not talking to someone who studied suffering. You are talking to Someone who survived it.
That is why His counsel always carries compassion. He does not shame your confusion. He shepherds you through it.
How the Counselor Speaks
The Wonderful Counselor has a few favorite tools:
- His Word, living truth that cuts through confusion.
- His Spirit, that still, small voice guiding your next step.
- His People, godly friends who echo His wisdom.
- His Peace, the confirmation that settles your spirit when you are walking in His will.
Sometimes He speaks through Scripture that seems to leap off the page.
Sometimes He whispers a conviction in your heart.
Sometimes He closes a door you really wanted open, and that no turns out to be mercy in disguise.
He does not just want to be consulted when you are desperate. He wants to be included as you walk daily.
A Little Porchside Theology
The word “wonderful” in Hebrew means “beyond comprehension.”
That means His wisdom is not just smart. It is supernatural.
You and I can give advice. Jesus gives revelation.
He sees the end from the beginning.
He understands the thread between today’s obedience and tomorrow’s outcome.
Here is the miracle. The Wonderful Counselor is not charging by the hour. He is waiting on your porch, ready to listen and ready to lead.
Life Application
Before making any decision today, big or small, pause and pray this simple prayer:
“Wonderful Counselor, what would You have me do?”
Then listen. Not for a booming voice, but for the whisper of peace that follows obedience.
If you are not sure what He is saying, open your Bible and start reading Proverbs or the Gospels until His Word starts reading you.
You might also write your questions on a piece of paper, then sit quietly and invite the Spirit to highlight what aligns with Scripture and what does not. His wisdom will never contradict His Word.
Remember, delay does not mean denial. Sometimes His “wait” is protection dressed in patience.
Prayer
Wonderful Counselor,
Thank You for caring enough to guide me.
You see what I cannot and know what I do not.
Speak Your wisdom into the noise of my day.
Correct me where I am drifting.
Confirm me where I am following.
Calm me when I am afraid to move.
Give me ears to hear, eyes to see,
and a heart that says “yes” before I know the details.
Lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Question / Journal Prompt
What decision, dilemma, or direction do you need counsel for right now?
Write this prayer in your journal:
“Lord, I am listening.”
Then record what Scriptures, impressions, or words of peace rise in your heart over the next twenty four hours.
The Wonderful Counselor often answers the heart that is quiet enough to hear Him.
Evening Reflection
The porch is still tonight, just the sound of a few frogs down by the creek and a soft wind brushing the trees. It is the kind of quiet that makes you realize how loud the world has been all day.
As you unwind, think about how many moments today the Counselor quietly walked beside you, the words you did not say, the thought you caught before it became worry, the strength that showed up right when you needed it.
Whisper a thank you:
“Lord, You guided me better than I knew how to ask.”
Then rest in the knowledge that you are not alone in the decision making, problem solving, direction finding life you are living.
You have a Wonderful Counselor, wise enough to guide galaxies and kind enough to guide you.
Close the night with gratitude. The One who gives counsel by day watches over you by night.
Sleep easy, friend.
The Counselor is still on call.
Michael Joe Harvell 