James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
Ahh, wisdom. That elusive holy grail we seek for getting through the day and this life. I've heard it comes with age. Wisdom is different than knowledge. Different than knowing facts and information. It's how to practice life, how to handle living....and in my opinion, gracefully, fruitfully, and glorifying God.
So yesterday, I was going through my routine at the shelter I volunteer at. Setting up playpens for the kittens to romp around in, cleaning up, answering phones, juggling cats....the usual. I was attempting to set up a playpen for one of the kittens and I kept getting it positioned wrong and it's wobbling, threatening to fall over. And I was getting frustrated. And I got it wrong some more. And it wobbled some more. "God help!!! Give me wisdom!!!" LOL Well, I finally got it set up the way I wanted to, and went about the rest of my routine.
I guess this whole incident stuck with me, because later on that night it came up in my prayer time at lunch. "Lord, why didn't You help me get that set up. Why didn't You tell me what to do instead of letting me struggle?" was my question. One of the weekly verses in my journal that night was Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And it got me to thinking.
When I pray for wisdom, what am I praying for exactly? Most times it's a general plea for help. But what kind of help? Digging a little deeper here, I came across the truth in my heart...it wasn't really God's wisdom I was looking for, but for God to work out what I was doing or wanting in the way I wanted it. "Show me how to make this work my way." Uh-oh. Not exactly what I think the Lord had in mind when He gave James the words in 1:5.
God's wisdom teaches us to handle things in a godly manner. It teaches us to stay calm when things go wrong, praise when we are failing, have mercy when others disappoint, trust when we can't see and know when to walk away from situations or emotions that will not bring glory to God. James describes God's wisdom for us... tells us what it looks like. James 3:13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. God's wisdom is humble, prefers others and causes us to do good.
There are certain situations that require specific wisdom, buying a house, taking a job, picking a spouse...and we can ask God for those answers. Jeremiah 33:3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come. Isaiah 30:21 Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. He desires to give us direction. In these situations, following peace is a good way to determine God's will. Psalm 23:2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He's not going to lead us in a way that causes extreme anxiety, sleeplessness or worry.
But everyday wisdom seems to involve just learning to live life with a smile instead of an angry countenance, walking in mercy and letting go of expectations of getting our own way in every situation. Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Making this our guideline will let us walk in the wisdom of God, being a blessing to others and glorifying the Lord.
Lord, thank You for everyday wisdom. You show us that wisdom is not just how to do something, but how to live in peace, how to manage not just our circumstance, but manage ourselves in a godly way, through the power and interceding of the Holy Spirit. You are amazing. I love these simple, yet powerful life lessons that You bring. Thank You for them. Once again, I am awed by You. Give us wisdom to glorify You in all things. Help us know how to manage life, both big and small. You desire what is good and right for each of us. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Get wisdom!
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