Above All, Get Wisdom

Unlocking One of God's Most Valuable Gifts

Have you ever found yourself in a problem that you just didn't know how to solve? Maybe there's something in your past you wish you could've avoided altogether, or some destructive patterns that seem to recur throughout your life. No matter our background, we all have certain situations in our lives that need solid, everyday answers.

What if I told you that there's one book with all the answers you're looking for? In my experience, I've found that God's Word is the best place to turn for answers to life's questions, and the book of Proverbs in particular offers so much valuable, practical advice for our daily lives. In verse 11 of Chapter 8 (NIV), we see that wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her, so we know that wisdom is something we should all be seeking after regularly.

In a nutshell, wisdom is simply the proper use of knowledge, and I like to define it practically as doing now what we'll be happy with later on in life. Learning to live out godly wisdom is a daily process in which we're all learning and growing, and a process that any of us—regardless of our past choices—can begin today. If we do as God instructs us each day, then our tomorrows will be pleasing to Him and pleasant for us.

Dig a Little Deeper

You might be wondering, Okay, now that I understand how important wisdom is, how do I practically get it?

Whether we're looking for help for our relationships, our job, our health, our finances or many other things, the wisdom God has given us in His Word is one of the greatest assets we can possess, and in order to have it, we must seek it diligently by taking time to study it each day.

In Proverbs 2:5, we read that if we will listen to wisdom and search for insight and understanding as we would search for silver and hidden treasure, that we "will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." He loves it when we search out and find the treasures He's hidden for us. Think about it like this: God provides gold, silver, and precious stones for beautiful jewelry and many other things. He provides iron, copper, and other metals for us to use in building and producing other products we use, but someone has to dig for them. They are hidden in hills and mountains, and they are deep within the ground. God provides the treasure, but we have to do the digging.

Wisdom wants us to dig, seek, search, cry out, and listen to her (Proverbs 8:1-11). Wisdom reflects God's thoughts and teachings, and is something we should all desire because without God's thoughts and understanding, we will make many painful mistakes. But with His guidance, we can avoid many pitfalls, enjoy real freedom in our lives, and walk securely without fear (Proverbs 1:33).

Live It Out

Everything God tells us is ultimately for our good, even though it's not always enjoyable in the beginning. I urge you to believe that His Word is true, and to decide to start intentionally listening to His voice with the goal of acting on what you learn from His Word. Reading about and knowing biblical principles is good, but knowledge that does not lead to action will not help you on a practical level. That's why it's so important to make sure we're applying His teachings to our lives.

In order to follow the wisdom Proverbs offers, we need to be willing to obey God's Word no matter how we feel, what we think, or what we want. This simply means that walking in wisdom requires spiritual maturity. Proverbs helps us gain that maturity as we learn its principles and receive God's help to practice them. The search for wisdom is a journey, and having its principles worked into our character and become our natural responses to the issues we face requires time, thought, and practice, but by His grace, it is possible.

As we partner with God in life, we each have a part to play. For example, God has gifted me to teach His Word, but He doesn't do all the work for me. I still study, develop messages, and go over them many times, making sure I've done my part before I step onto a platform expecting God to do His part and touch the hearts of the people listening. When I do my part and trust God to do His, He always comes through, but I must do my part first.

When we are diligent to find wisdom and follow its precepts, we become "doers" of God's Word (James 1:22). And as we live out the wisdom He's given us, not only are we blessed, but so are the people around us. Our actions actually make the Gospel attractive to those who don't know Jesus yet, and we're sowing seeds that will bring an incredible harvest into our lives later on.

Remember, God wants to help you and His wisdom is available to us all (James 1:5). We just have to ask for it, diligently study His Word and then obey what it says by applying those principles to our lives. As you do, you'll begin to walk in God's wisdom and experience the truly amazing life He wants you to have.