The Bible tells us that wisdom is more valuable than rubies and that nothing we desire can compare with it. (Proverbs 8:11)
We are also told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Proverbs 9:11)
If wisdom is the principal thing (Proverbs 4:7), we must pursue and grow in Godly wisdom this year.
So what is wisdom? Before we tackle wisdom, I think it’s important to understand what comes before wisdom as you grow in your Christian character.
The path to wisdom begins with knowledge, which leads to understanding and ultimately to wisdom.
Knowledge, simply put, is what you know. When you first become a believer, you know very little. As you grow in spiritual disciplines like reading the Word, your knowledge—what you know—about the Word grows
Understanding comes next as you start to see how things connect within what you are learning and what it means. Context comes, and clarity and insight are developed so that you can connect it to your real-life experiences.
Just like when you learned at some point in your life that “words can hurt people.” Understanding was developed when you could see how certain words could damage relationships and erode trust.
Wisdom comes last as a result of applying what you know and understand to your life. Like in the previous example of knowing that words can hurt people, wisdom is gained when you begin to choose the words you use when speaking into your life or someone else’s.
To sum it all up in another way:
Knowledge: What I know
Understanding: What it means
Wisdom: How I live it out
The Heart Check:
Is there an area of your life right now where you have the knowledge of what God says, but you are struggling to take the step of wisdom—actually living it out?
The mark of spiritually mature Christians is that they are consistently growing in biblical knowledge, understanding of that knowledge, and applying it to their daily life, so they can grow into more of who God has called them to be.
Let’s now dive back into the book of James to learn two important things about wisdom that are imperative to growing in our Godly wisdom.
James 1:5-8 says,
”If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
First, isn’t it great to know that you serve a God who gives grace (James 4:6) and wisdom to us to help us in our times of need? James says, He is a generous God who will give wisdom to those who ask. This great news also comes with an important warning about growing in and receiving more wisdom from the Lord, which we will cover next.
Second, and something we must not forget when asking God for wisdom, is where our faith lies. We must ensure it is in God alone. James goes on to say that a person with divided loyalty between God and the world is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. He even goes so far as to say that such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord because of their divided loyalty.
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I know this can sound very harsh, but I believe the point James is trying to address is the doubting believer. He gives us a picture of a person who doubts God (the double-minded) as being like the waves of the sea—up one moment and down the next.
You can also think of the double-minded person as someone whose faith says “yes” one moment and “no” the next. Doubt creeps in and sways back and forth between the two.
Remember the story of Peter in Matthew 14:22-33. He had the faith to walk on the water to Jesus, keeping his eyes on the Lord—until he saw the waves, got terrified, and began to sink. Faith for Peter turned to doubt and fear, and it almost caused him to drown. Peter was double-minded in that moment, but Jesus saved him and said, “Why did you doubt me?”
The Heart Check:
Peter began to sink only when he shifted his gaze from Jesus to the waves. What "waves" in your life right now are trying to pull your eyes away from the Lord?
Many believers consistently live like these waves of the sea: up one moment and down another. James is trying to help believers move from this type of immaturity to a life that is mature and complete.
We are never going to be perfect in this present life, and we are going to struggle with doubts from time to time. So, let’s evaluate how we are currently dealing with life’s challenges.
Are we trusting God in faith one moment, then retreating in doubt the next? Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, know this: you can grow as you choose each day to yield your life to the Lord, believing that He is more than capable and willing to give you what you need to handle what you are going through.
If we have belief in God and a heart yielded to Him, we can ask in faith for wisdom for our situation and receive the wisdom we need.
Prayer For Wisdom:
Heavenly Father, thank You for providing me with wisdom as I trust You in faith for what I’m going through. My faith and trust are in You and You alone, Lord; I know You will guide and direct my decisions and steps through this. My mind will remain fixed on You so that any doubt that may come will have no ground to stand on. I thank You for wisdom today, Lord, that directs my life along the path aligned with Your good and perfect plan for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
PS. If you would like to support my ministry consider checking out www.litwithprayer.com and picking up one of our prayer books to our Christian-based Jewelry.
Do you know Jesus?
If you have never asked Jesus to be the leader of your life and forgive you of all your sins, this is the right time to act. Pray this simple prayer and believe it in your heart: “Dear God, Your Word says that You loved me so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on the cross for me. I want to be saved and have all my sins forgiven, past, present, and future. Forgive me now as I receive Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. You promised me salvation and an abundant life. I believe and receive Your free gift. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me grow stronger in You each day, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.” (John 3:16)
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.
