The young man claimed it was God who led him to take the decision. Everyone connected to him counselled him otherwise. There was no wisdom in the step he was about to take. But he insisted he was led. A few years later, the decision landed him where he never planned to be. His problem was that he promoted revelation above experience.
Friend, never promote revelation above experience (Hebrews 13:8). Experience may not always sound high, but its depth will bring safety and stability to your life. While revelation brings progress, experience of wisdom is what brings stability to us. This is why God will often position a man with revelation around a man with experience (Acts 18:24-28). It is now left for you to take advantage of it.
Experience may not always cancel your revelation, but it will balance it. Did you notice that Moses listened to Jethro with experience despite the fact that Jethro was not on the mountain of revelation like Moses (Exodus 18:12-24)? There are people who may not hear what you hear, but they have been hearing things before you were born. You need to listen to such men.
It was experience that Eli used in guiding Samuel accurately in his pursuit of divine revelation (1 Samuel 3:1-10). The backsliding Eli still had something to teach the emerging prophet, Samuel. Don’t ever think that God has left elders. They may not be at the forefront of God’s move, but they are at the backend to bring covering, balance, and safety (Proverbs 4:1-7).
Sometimes, what you celebrate as a divine revelation is lesser than what God originally planned. You need men who know where God has been to help you make sense of where God is and is going in your life. While the young men were excited about the new temple, the older men with experience lamented (Ezra 3:12-13). They would not celebrate what is inferior.
Experience is the best teacher, provided it is not your own experience (Philippians 4:9). If you won’t learn by the experience of those who have gone ahead of you, you would soon learn through avoidable and costly mistakes (1 Corinthians 10:6). It is either you learn by instruction or by destruction. Who is that person whose instruction is providing guidance and direction for you?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria