Wise people never make important decisions when they are in a tense emotional state. When Elijah found out that Queen Jezebel was after him, he was ready to give up his role as a prophet and die. So, God gave him forty days of rest, prayer, and recovery, before he decided what his next steps would be. He was now ready to decide on the basis of his faith in God, and not his fear of Jezebel. And his decision was very different at the end of forty days of rest than it would have been before he rested.

You’ve probably seen people make terrible decisions when they were drained, tired, discouraged, and afraid, which they would never have made otherwise. Generally speaking, you won’t choose the right course of action when you’re in the wrong frame of mind. When you have an important decision to make, sometimes the wisest thing you can do is—wait until you’re rested. An anxious mind in an exhausted body can lead to a terrible decision.

The Bible says: ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:6–7 NKJV) Notice what the peace of God does for you. It will guard your mind. From what? Acting impulsively, acting selfishly, or acting maliciously. Acting in any way that will result in loss rather than gain—and regret rather than joy.