Asking God for wisdom can be both enlightening and a bit scary because with wisdom comes understanding, and understanding can lead to action.
Most of us know that when God comes to people in the Bible, he bestows them with courage, grace, love, peace, patience, strength and pretty much any fruit of the Spirit you can name. There’s something else that God gives to those people mentioned in the Bible, as well as us. He gives us wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom may be further down on the list of your daily prayer items but it’s so essential to have and ask for. I’m certainly guilty of not asking for wisdom often enough. Asking God for wisdom can be both enlightening and a bit scary because with wisdom comes understanding, and understanding can lead to action. I think it’s important for us as believers to ask God for daily wisdom and with every decision we make or are trying to make. This year has been no exception to that! Our world today has seen its fair share of crazy and while it can be scary and uncertain at times, we have to remember that God is in control of it all and still loves us more than we can imagine. We need to remember to pray for wisdom, not only for ourselves but for others as well. We need to remember that nothing is a surprise to God and there is nothing new under the sun as Ecclesiastes 1:9 states. Just as there were wicked men and women found in Isaiah 55 thousands of years ago, so are there are wicked men and women found today. As believers, we should remain prayerful for them, that they would turn from their wickedness and turn to God for wisdom.
Like I mentioned earlier, this year has been a strange one and I can often find myself thinking “God, what are you up to?” This is an easy hole we can sink into because all we can see is the ‘here and now’ and the mess that’s in the way. It’s also easy for us to fall for almost anything we’re being told because things are changing so rapidly and we’re not sure who to believe. I do find comfort though in knowing that God’s ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts, as Isaiah 55 says. He knows what’s going on and is always in control. He doesn’t expect us to understand what’s going on or the intentions behind it, but he does invite us to trust him, in fact, he encourages it. The Lord’s wisdom is infinitely greater than ours no matter our intellectual level. His word goes out and does not return void and his purposes will always prevail for just as he planned it. Although we may not understand God’s greater purposes and plans, we know that we can have joy and peace that will endure forever because we can trust a Creator and Savior who is greater than us and holds all things together, even when everything seems to be falling apart.
So, what are you going to do the next time something unexpected or scary happens? Will you sit, worry and dwell on it all day or will you get on your knees and pray for wisdom and discernment in the situation? God wants us to continue to trust him even when (notice I didn’t say ‘if’) things get crazy and we can’t see through the mess. He calls us to trust him daily no matter the circumstance. I know that’s easier said than done, but Jesus never said it would be easy. Let’s continue praying hard on our knees for wisdom and discernment – for ourselves and the leaders that God has appointed us. Let’s continue praying that God would help us see clearly. Let’s be a people that loves God, loves others and seeks wisdom and discernment diligently in everything we do and in every circumstance. And put your trust in God’s hands, for he will never fail you.
