Praying for God’s Wisdom

Wisdom day 3

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

“Prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do.” Mark Batterson.

 

  •  Grab your Bible and journal and find a quiet, comfy place to sit. Take a moment to relax, clear your thoughts, and focus on what God has for you. Pray that He speaks to you by showing you how to apply His word to your life today.
  •  Read Proverbs 3:1-8, and write Proverbs 3:5-6 in your journal.

Praying For God’s Wisdom

When my first child started kindergarten, I imagined a great experience for everyone. I looked forward to pocketing the preschool tuition, a fun-filled day of friends and art projects for my kindergartener, and uninterrupted naps for her baby sister. Reality turned out to be far different from the scenario that had played out in my head, however. I had always considered her high-energy personality fun and quirky, but suddenly I was pressured to seek diagnosis and treatment for ADHD. Completely blindsided and unprepared, I checked out every library book on ADHD available.

Instead of finding answers, I grew increasingly confused and terrified. None of the solutions I came across felt right for her. I clearly remember collapsing on my daughter’s bed after a difficult day that had left us both overwhelmed and defeated. We said our usual bedtime prayers, except that out of utter desperation I asked God for wisdom – wisdom to simply deal with life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

I had exhausted all my wisdom and resources. I humbly placed my circumstances in God’s hands, and as a result, He led my family on a path that changed our lives. I eventually discovered that for some kids ADHD is a symptom of food allergies or intolerances,which turned out to be her underlying issue.

Over the next few years, we revamped our family’s diet. After much research, diligence, and discipline, we saw great improvements in my daughter’s health and behavior. Now six years later, if I told someone my daughter has ADHD, they’d think I’m crazy. God answered my prayer in more ways than I could have imagined.

James 1:5 tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault.”

I realize now that it took me way too long to be vulnerable with my Father, lean on Him, and trust Him because I viewed God as distant and unapproachable. His promises seemed to apply to perfect godly people instead of me, a sinner with a questionable past and plenty of flaws.

I learned that God doesn’t view me that way. Just as a mom sees her stubborn, quick-tempered, and selfish two-year-old as a precious treasure whose character will improve in time, God looks beyond our flaws to see His beloved children with great potential. God loves us and wants to help us all.

God does not promise that any of us will have a perfect life, but He does promise to help us work out our own circumstances if we seek Him. “[For] we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,” (Romans 8:28). Go ahead and seek God’s wisdom and goodness; it is readily available to all. According to Proverbs 8, it is shouting to anyone who will listen. Just pray listen, and trust, my friends.

Questions to Ponder

  • What are your current struggles? Are you relying on your own understanding or on God’s wisdom?
  • How can you seek wisdom to overcome these challenges?

Faith-Filled Idea

This is not the “prosperity gospel.” It is cause and effect. You will reap good results by following sound advice from wise and trustworthy sources. God, the Bible, King Solomon (the author of Proverbs 3) – all wise and trustworthy sources. God is our loving Father who offers guidance through scripture to aid in our well-being.

Proverbs 3 not only tells us how to live, but it also provides a list of God’s promises that directly correlate with His instructions.

Here’s an idea to help you understand these Scriptures more deeply and apply them to your life:

  • Draw a line down the middle of a page in your journal to separate it into two columns.
  • Label the left column “instructions” and the right column “results.”
  • Read through Proverbs 3.
  • Write the commands in the left column (“instructions”) and the consequences of following those commands in the right column (“results”), one or two verses at a time. It is long, so don’t feel like you have to write them all. You can write out the whole chapter, just do the first few, or pick the verses that speak to you. You do you!
  • Ask God for His guidance in applying these scriptures to your life.

 

Heather Doolittle
Latest posts by Heather Doolittle (see all)

6 Comments on “Praying for God’s Wisdom”

  1. Heather, I love the practically of this devotional. Also what you wrote is so true, “God looks beyond our flaws to see His beloved children with great potential.” Amen. Otherwise we would be completely hopeless. So thankful for a visionary God who wants to help us!

    1. Yes, Mari Jo! I’m so glad God is so gracious, and He gives generously to all WITHOUT FINDING FAULT. ❤️

  2. This is awesome Heather!! I love the practical aspect and am so thankful for your encouragement to go to God for everything in our lives!

    1. I feel like every season of my life brings a new reason for needing wisdom! I’m praying that God will supply what you need, Kristi!

Leave a Reply to Deb Weakly Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.