Proverbs 19:2 (NLT)
“Zeal without knowledge is not good; a person who moves too quickly may go the wrong way.”

Zeal is Not the Map

This text is as direct as it gets. Often, we mean well; we have the greatest intentions and the strongest desires to help, only to discover too late that we lacked a full understanding of the situation. Acting without understanding isn’t just a mistake—it is foolishness. Have you ever looked back and whispered, “If I had only waited…”?
Haste is usually a symptom of either youthful enthusiasm or calculated arrogance. Hubris often veils itself as “help.” To think, act, or assist out of prideful haste tends to make matters worse. We get in too big of a hurry! We assume we know exactly what someone else needs—or even what we need. Many blessings are missed simply because we moved forward without the unction of the Holy Spirit or the grounding of wise counsel.
A Personal Lesson in Haste:
In the name of helping my daughter’s eczema, I once financed a $5,000 water system at a ridiculous interest rate. Now, praise God, today my daughter is healed—but my wallet stayed in need of serious “medical attention” for many years afterward! Impatience will cause you to act antithetically to your own benefit and the benefit of those you love.

The Practice

Mastering the Pause

1. The Cold Shower Rule
Slow down. Refuse to make “heat of the moment” decisions. This applies to your wallet, your relationships, and your career. Just because your emotions are “hot and bothered” is no excuse to make a foolish short-term choice that carries long-term consequences. If you are feeling a rush of emotional pressure to act, go take a “spiritual cold shower”—get into Psalm 119 and let the Word cool your impulses. The rest of your life is at stake.
2. Your Sight is Not Your Guide
Don’t trust your vision; it isn’t as clear as you think. Our personal desires act like a smudge on the lens of our perception. Scripture reminds us that we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Your faith in God’s character must rise above your human frailty. When you can’t see clearly, trust your “Internal GPS”—the Holy Spirit—rather than your feelings.
3. Measure Twice, Cut Once
In carpentry, you measure twice to avoid wasting wood. In the Kingdom, you seek counsel twice to avoid wasting years. God does not change, so it can’t hurt to pause, read the Word, and seek out wise counsel from your Pastor before signing that contract or making that move. Do what the wisdom tells you, not what your impulse demands.

Today’s Declaration

“I will not let my zeal outrun my knowledge. I refuse to be driven by the ‘heat of the moment’ or the arrogance of my own sight. I choose to pause, to measure my decisions against the Word, and to wait for the Holy Spirit’s green light. I trade my haste for His peace.”

Moving fast in the wrong direction only gets you lost sooner. Today is a great day to make a Fresh Start!
God bless,
+Pastor Kris