Discovery:
Wisdom is not a virtue that is in vogue in our culture. It is reserved for those who are older and not full of youthful ambition or drive. Yet the bible clearly says the opposite. Prov. 4:6-7: " Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom."
The passage last week spoke of having "pure joy" when it comes to the trials in our lives. James adds to this by stating that we need wisdom if we are going to truly understand what God is trying to teach us. Douglas Moo in his commentary on James says, "Wisdom is the quality needed if God's people are going to endure trials with fortitude and godliness." Wisdom is simply seeing things through God's perspective. This is especially difficult during times of trials and testings. We unfortunately tend to lean on our own understandings rather than seeking God's perspective.
In v. 8, James warns us to not be a "double-minded man, unstable in all he does." We can't have it both ways! We can't live by trying to do things on our own strength or by our own understanding. We need to seek wisdom that comes from Him.
Application:
Are you seeking God first?
Is this true in your prayer life? Are you seeking His counsel first or are you turning to others to get their immediate feedback? Nothing wrong with a good friend's advice but ultimately we need to be tuning in to the voice of God.
Is this true in your devotional and Bible reading life? Is the Bible the solid foundation upon which you build your life or is it the words of others? Bible reading to me is like eating. I can go without for a while but ultimately it is my source of spiritual strength and nourishment. It isn't a fortune cookie that I open in times of desperation but rather it is a staple of my everyday life. It is kind of like rice! I can't really go more than a day without needing and wanting it.
Is this true in the advice that I am seeking? Am I just taking counsel from people who are like "yes men" who simply tell me what I want to hear or who tell me what I need to hear? Am I humbly submitting myself to and seeking after truly wise counsel? Am I reading books that give me a bigger and broader understanding of the Kingdom of God? I think it is important to read both contemporary author as well as the ancient writers. My perspective and understanding of God needs to grow and expand if I am going to be able to make sense of the trials and challenges in my life.
Prayer:
I need your wisdom Lord! I get so overwhelmed and overcome by the negative things that seem to be cropping up in my life. Help me understand things from Your perspective. Give me the wisdom to see this. Thank you for my dad's 70th birthday celebration and my mom's retirement dinner last night. Thank you so much for these wise and loving parents that you have given to me. I am so thankful for them.
