iFollow: Asking God's Wisdom Through Prayer

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Asking God's Wisdom Through Prayer

By Timothy Adrian Santos

Alas, the week of exams has come (for most of us, graduating students have already eluded such phase)!

What do students usually do before an exam?

There are the usual type of students who, despite the fact that they have an exam the very next day, choose to spend majority of the afternoon playing computer games with friends.

Then there are those who tweet 'EXAMS TOMORROW- STUDYING- DND' but it makes one wonder-  if you're indeed studying...then why are you on Twitter?

And we should never forget those who make it a habit to sleep off before the very big day.

But, hope remains on those studious children who make sure they have a full grasp of the lesson and work hard in understanding the items that may appear on the exam.

STUDYING. Not everyone is a big fan of studying. There are some of us who declare: "When I graduate, I can finally say goodbye to Math, Science and History! Goodbye Studying!" We are sadly mistaken. Right after every final chapter in our lives, we continually study in order to survive life. 

You see, life itself is a complicated course that we have to pass as long as we live. It's the state where there are so many questions yet the answers are difficult to find! Unlike in an exam where multiple choices are provided, life simply cannot be answered with a, b, or c. It's more than that.

With all the craziness this life has to offer, most of us are still in search for the answers that we crave. Where do we look?

Simple. 

Should you need answers, look upon the ONE who knows everything in life.

⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. ⁶ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.⁸ Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.

James 1:5-8

James, brother of Jesus, wrote this book in order to show his audience the right perspective when facing trials. When we are being tested by the challenges of life, our automatic response is to becom

e frantic, to panic and see the worst case scenarios. We lose ourselves and our senses. But James reminds us that should we need the answers to our problems, we should ask wisdom from our God.

Why?

Reading verse 5 in the New International Version:

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 

Take note of the word should. This is no mere suggestion. James says that should we be in search for wisdom, we SHOULD ask God. When we say ask, it is continually seeking God and His take on the matter you're asking on. 

And why shouldn't we ask our God about the things we face in life? He is the infinite source of wisdom. Being the Creator of everything that exists, it's evident that He knows everything. A rational choice would be to humbly ask for His wisdom upon us. As the verse said, God gives generously. He won't begrudge us what we need.

Sadly, we only approach Him as a last resort because often, we depend on ourselves to solve the problem. We doubt God's ability to help us resolve the challenge presented unto us. 

Let's remind ourselves that God is not a stingy type of father, the one who hesitates to give us what we need. 

¹⁵ So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.^[a] Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15

He is our ABBA Father. The Father who loves His children unconditionally.

⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 

James 1:6-7

BELIEVE AND NOT DOUBT. 

Simply said: trust God.

As mentioned above, we have this human tendency to panic when things go wrong. And when they do, we often try to save it ourselves. We believe that we can handle such when in fact, our attempts can even worsen the state that we're in.

Why do we find it so hard to believe that God's Wisdom can guide us through our trials?

According to James 4:8, we are double-minded sinners. We hold on to sin and sometimes, we fall into its trap, trusting that it knows the best for us. Because we refuse to let go, we doubt God's advice when He attempts to help us. 

BELIEVE AND NOT DOUBT.

Friends, we must put our faith in the One who owns the wisest decisions in this world. Sure, there are times when His answers are vague or unclear, but we have to understand that we are just humans and eventually, He will reveal His plans when the time comes. Our God knows what is best for us and He will surely direct us to the right path because He loves us. Ask. Just ask Him and He will respond.

Remember: Wisdom will only benefit us if we are obedient to the Word of God :)

So, rather than consulting this world and asking it for the right answers, turn to the Master of Answers and find yourself being continually amazed with the things He shall reveal to you :)

Blogger: Ashley Petallano, 2013