Don’t Go House Hunting in the Dark
by Lori Hatcher
Pat had scoured the multiple listing service for affordable homes in her area. She plugged in the search guidelines: three or more bedrooms, at least two bathrooms, in their price range. One home stood out among the many that popped up on her screen. As she scrolled through the pictures of the house, she felt herself getting excited. Maybe this is our new home, she thought.
Returning from a meeting later that evening, her thoughts returned to the house. Excitement made her heart beat faster as she imagined how nice it would be to have more room for the kids, an extra bedroom for guests, and a safer neighborhood. Unable to wait until morning to check out the house, she turned in the direction of the home. It wouldn’t hurt just to drive by it, she thought.
As she turned onto the street, she spotted the house immediately. Partially lit by the streetlight, the angled roof and large windows were easily recognizable from the pictures she’d seen on the web. The kids would love the big yard. And the garage would be nice on cold, rainy days. But a home is only as good as its neighborhood, she remembered, hearing her father’s wise words echoing in her mind. Better drive around and check it out. As she looked at the cute bungalows and spreading ranch houses, her feeling of confidence caused her to smile in the darkness.
But she wasn’t smiling the next morning.
Returning to the neighborhood with her husband, Pat saw what she hadn’t seen in the darkness of the night before—peeling paint, overgrown lots, and ill-kept yards. Rusting cars and broken lawn furniture cluttered the neighborhood that had once been attractive, but now had fallen into disrepair. And her dream home? Torn screens, an outdated kitchen, and a cracked foundation that she hadn’t see in the darkness came to light in the daylight.
Pat now had another wise adage to add to her father’s collection: Don’t go house hunting in the dark.
You’re probably shaking your head at Pat’s foolishness, thinking that common sense should have told her it was silly to go house hunting after dark, but we are often guilty of doing something very similar—we make decisions that disregard the light of God’s Word.
Here are some examples:
- We move to a new location without considering whether there is a good church in the area.
- We enter a partnership with an unsaved person without considering 2 Corinthians 6:14.
- We date or marry an unbeliever, ignoring the Bibles warnings about being unequally yoked.
- We seek counsel from secular psychologists and therapists who have no biblical wisdom from which to draw.
Each of these examples is like shopping for a house in the dark. If we fail to shine the light of God’s Word into our decisions, then we are blind to God’s best for us.
If you’re facing an important decision, I encourage you to allow the “light that shines in the darkness” to illuminate your path and guide you into God’s best plan.
Here are three ways we can do this
- Seek God’s light through Bible reading and prayer.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).
- Seek God’s light through the counsel of godly friends and leaders.
“The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Pro. 12:15).
- Seek God’s light through the support of a Bible-believing church.
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. . .” (Heb. 10:25).
If you’re wrestling with a big decision today, I encourage you to seek God. I’m comforted and empowered by James 1:5: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men liberally without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
What about you? Have you ever gone “house hunting” in the dark only to discover later that you’d made a big mistake? Or maybe the reverse—how did seeking the light of God’s counsel save you from making a really big mistake with long-lasting consequences? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
Lori Hatcher is an author, blogger, and women’s ministry speaker. She shares an empty nest in Columbia, South Carolina, with her ministry and marriage partner, David, and best dog ever, Winston. She’s the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine, and has authored two devotional books, Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women and Joy in the Journey – Encouragement for Homeschooling Moms. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).
