Today’s post is just a reflection on what I was listening to. I have been listening to Proverbs before I go to bed, and I found this profound and something we should be contemplating. True wisdom comes from God, who created it. It is not created by Man or owned by a certain person. It is a gift to God’s entire creation and true wisdom aligns us with God and his will for us.
Proverbs 8:22-23
22 “The Lord formed me from the beginning,
before he created anything else.
23 I was appointed in ages past,
at the very first, before the earth began.
This verse, explains that Wisdom was created before all things. God is all knowing and has no need for wisdom. Think about that… He created wisdom before he created anything else. Knowing that his creation would need it. It is not absent, separate, but part of creation.
Proverbs 31-36
31 And how happy I was with the world he created;
how I rejoiced with the human family!32 “And so, my children,[a] listen to me,
for all who follow my ways are joyful.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise.
Don’t ignore it.
34 Joyful are those who listen to me,
watching for me daily at my gates,
waiting for me outside my home!
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the Lord.
36 But those who miss me injure themselves.
All who hate me love death.”
Wisdom rejoices in God’s presence, its creator. The same way we are created to rejoice in God and we praise God together with wisdom. We are to follow the wisdom of God, that is how we find joy and live in a world that tells us to think and believe all the things that create pain, division and even death.
So why do we care about wisdom? Is wisdom not the thing that only smart people need? No, wisdom is what guides us on how to live our lives, how to engage in business, relationships, families and how we even think on ourselves.
Recently, I have been really struggling with what my next steps are. A pastor friend of mine told me once that “God is not trying to hid his will for you. It is not some secret.” As a person of faith, how do we figure out what God wants us to do, where do we find wisdom? What do we do when we are really unsure about a certain situation? If wisdom is not hidden, where do we find it?
Godly counsel and community are important, but the primary source of wisdom is the Bible. The Bible is the inerrant infallible word of God that instructs and corrects us on our life. God defines what is good for us, what is the product of him and what is not. But maybe you don’t know the full context of the Bible and don’t even know where to start figuring this out.
Well, we can start with the fruit of the spirit and the flesh. These are things that bring about what God wants for us or what is against God.
Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Wisdom will lead us down paths that glorify God and bring out results that are good for us and those around us. Where the outcomes of fleshly desires (the opposite of wisdom)
Galatians 5:19-21
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
So, is what we are considering doing creating either of these outcomes? What does God say about what you are thinking about? You may not even know what the outcome will be, so just spend time reading thee Word.
If you aren’t a big reader and this blog is about the most you ever read, download the YouVersion Bible app and listen to the Word.
When you are afraid and you don’t know what to do, remember God has given you wisdom and created you with wisdom available to you at all times. It was created for creation. It is not hidden from you. Pray for guidance, and know that if you make a mistake, and head in the wrong direction, you can correct it. God is so good, he warns us.
Don’t be discouraged, wisdom is available to us through the Holy Spirit. It is not that we are smart enough or good enough, we aren’t. It is that Jesus makes us right with him, so through that he sends the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of community. No church is perfect, no person is perfect. But as you read the word, and listen, and watch, people will show you who they are. Are they showing the fruit of the spirit, or of the flesh? Remember God is not hiding his will from you and wisdom is created for and available to you.
