If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God,
who gives generously to all without finding fault,
and it will be given to you. James 1:5
The Lord gives me His wisdom when I ask. As He goes on to say in this passage, that I am to ask believing that He will give it. Then I believe what He says - I don’t compare it with other people’s advice, then decide which one I will take. That approach is what the Bible calls double-minded. The double-minded person can't expect to receive God's wisdom. He doesn't value God's perspective, His viewpoint, or His knowledge. He gives more weight to his own opinion or the opinion of other people than God's word.
In James 1, God says:
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
We find wisdom through our relationship with the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
Psalm 111:10
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28
It’s impossible to have wisdom without a fear of the Lord.
To fear God is:
- to reverence Him,
- to have a sense of awe before Him, and
- to humble ourselves before Him in all things;
- to understand that He is the final authority, the ultimate source knowledge and wisdom.
This fear is not being afraid that God is going to zap me when I mess up. God doesn't want us to be afraid of him. He wants us to know how much He loves us and wants the very best for us. Part of our fear of God is believing that He does want the very best for me. When I seek Him and His wisdom, I learn what His best is. Then I follow His lead because I trust Him.
If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge. Vance Havner
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