“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (James 1:5 NLT)

Some people treat prayer like a Christmas list. They see the words “generous God” and launch into their “gimmes.” Gimme a new car. Gimme a vacation home. Gimme a Gulfstream jet so I don’t have to fly commercial. The problem is, if you focus your attention on material possessions, you overlook the most valuable asset God makes available to you: wisdom.

James says, if you need wisdom, ask for it. God won’t rebuke you, no matter how many times you request it. Believe me, I’ve tested the limits. I pray for wisdom all the time. When I start a business meeting. When I prepare a message. When I think about the future of our church. I love to say, “Lord, You’ve promised in Your Word to give us Your wisdom. I’m praying for it right now.” Which is another way of saying, “I need to know Your will, Lord. Show me Your will.”

If you’re married or in a relationship, the need is even more pressing. God’s wisdom can help you navigate the highs and lows of life together. It can help you meet your relationship challenges head-on. It can help you keep your eye on the big picture while you work out the small details.

God’s wisdom is something we should all be seeking after. Proverbs 9:10 says, “Fear of the Lord”—that is, reverence for the Lord—“is the foundation of wisdom” (NLT).

Don’t mistake intelligence for wisdom. You can be smart but not necessarily wise. I’ve seen people who are very intelligent, who have advanced degrees hanging on their wall, and who are very successful in their chosen field do some of the most ridiculous things imaginable.

Intelligence is acquiring knowledge and applying it, developing certain skills. But wisdom comes from a different place. Some wisdom comes from life’s lessons. We learn from things we’ve done right—and we also learn from our mistakes. But the ultimate source of wisdom is God and His Word. That’s what we want to build our lives on.

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells the story of two men who built on two different foundations. The wise man built his house upon rock. When storms came and beat upon the house, it stood firm because it was built on the right foundation. In contrast, the foolish man built his house on sand. When the same storms came, his house collapsed. Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock” (NLT).

Building a life is different from building a house. It’s not always obvious what’s rock and what’s sand. That’s why God wants us to pray—as often as we need to—for wisdom. Some people build their lives on a relationship that seems unshakable—as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar—only to have their foundation collapse when the relationship ends. Other people build their lives on job security or financial security, and then find themselves in rubble when the industry or market collapses.

God will help us find the solid ground of His will in every situation. All we have to do is ask.

Reflection Question: In what area could you use God’s wisdom today?

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