Joshua Forgot to Ask—Here’s Why You Shouldn’t

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6

Sometimes in life, things are not what they seem. And not asking for advice can lead to serious problems.

Long ago, in the days of the Bible, there was a leader named Joshua. He was tasked with guiding God’s people into settling a new land. One day, a people called the Gibeonites, who lived nearby, tricked Joshua. They came to see him, wearing old clothes and carrying stale bread to make it look like they had traveled from far away. They asked for a peace agreement, and without asking God for guidance, Joshua made a promise to protect them. A few days later, Joshua discovered they had lied but he couldn’t break the agreement. The result was years of tension and conflict (Joshua 9).

Maybe you’re not leading an entire nation, but you are leading someone. You may be a boss, a parent, or a friend giving advice to another friend. So often, we function in our roles without ever remembering to talk to God about them! This just isn’t a bad idea, explained one Christian leader. He said, “Prayerlessness won’t hurt you; It’ll kill you. The more successful [you are] … your church or organization, or small group is [or your work or your kids are], the more likely you’re going to feel too busy for [prayer]. And that’s deadly.”[1]

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding,” scripture tells us. “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6). He is waiting to give His wisdom.

It’s been said that “leaders eat last.” But what we need to remember is that “leaders pray first.” Stop now and bring the issues of your day to God before you make a single decision!

[1] Skoog, Ryan. Lead with Prayer. 2025. Introduction, p. xvii.