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Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips. I am teaching you today—yes, you—so you will trust in the Lord. Proverbs 22:17-19 (NLT)
In this world of economic and political uncertainty wise decisions are more important than ever. It’s easy to have opinions about how things should be from a distance, just as it’s easy to coach a professional sporting event from your arm chair.
It’s entirely a different story when it’s your job that’s being ‘eliminated due to corporate restructuring’. It’s more crucial to know how to act when it’s your test results or the test results of a loved one that shows a critical health issue. When it’s you sitting at divorce court or in a jail cell, suddenly knowing how to act/react takes on a whole new meaning. The question of the century becomes: “What should I do?”
Wisdom is a combination of life experiences and learning. Experience is a great teacher, but you can’t possibly experience everything you need to in order to make right choices. The need then, is to balance learning through experience with seeking the counsel of those who have either gone through similar situations or know someone who has.
Wisdom can be learned through active listening. “Active Listening” is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, to try and understand the total message being sent. It means you ask questions, confirm facts and take time to ponder the options.
The foundation of wisdom must come from sources that acknowledge the presence of an Almighty, All-knowing and Sovereign God. True wisdom never contradicts God’s law since God is the complete source of wisdom. Wisdom can, and often does, go against religious dogma and tradition. Wisdom regarding life will always, with no exception, turn you towards the cross of Jesus Christ and the empty tomb. Don’t be deceived by clever attempts to show you a different way.
Wisdom is not a natural result of age. Young people can be very wise. Old people can be very foolish. It’s not based on a person’s title, popularity or money The Apostle Paul says “Let no man look down on your youth” (1 Timothy 4:12). It isn’t age, but rather our ability to listen and learn from God’s word and godly men and women that brings wisdom to our lives.
God’s wisdom never fails. We aren’t God. We will fail. Even after doing all the right things there is always a chance that our decision will lead to failure on some sort. That’s when it is important to remember that there is always forgiveness. We can always come to the cross for failing to act wisely but beware of the consequences. The father will forgive and offer second chances but the consequences may follow you the rest of your life. Think and pray wisely before you act.
PRAYER: Father God. There is so much around me that I don’t understand right now. I don’t understand the cruelty and greed of some people. I don’t understand why I can’t get life right. I’m angry about the way things are in my life and see no way out! Please empower me through Your Holy Spirit to listen actively to Godly advice, draw close to you in relationship through The Bible and Prayer, and trust you for the outcome. Amen.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
When we are infants we are totally dependent on our parents for everything from moving from one point to another, food and drink, entertainment, clothing and safety and protection. As we grew older we began to learn new things. The world became alive with new experiences, things to explore, activities to try. We begin to think that the world is a playground and that we are at the center of it. We are invincible!
But something happens along the way. We fall. We stumble. We get burned. We fail. In the midst of that learning something else happens. We begin to doubt. It could be because of critical parenting. It could be because we’ve begun to see ourselves as failures. It could be due to emotional or physical abuse. Gradually, without our knowledge or realization we begin to realize we aren’t invincible. We are not the center of the universe. Where we once thought anything was possible, life teaches us the cruel lesson that perhaps nothing we desire is possible. We lose our dreams, our focus, and our ability to see ourselves as successes.
During those times of self-defeat God says. STOP! I am with you. I, the creator God of the universe. The One that holds the stars in my hand and dictates where the clouds go and the rain falls. The one that sees every bird that falls from the sky and every fish in the sea. I am with you. I am not near you. I’m not within calling range. I’m not merely available. I AM WITH YOU.
Because I am with you I will help you. I will walk by your side to see that you prosper. I will walk by your side during the dangerous, scary, disappointing, frustrating times of life. I’ll help you when you fall. I’ll applaud your successes.
It’s not about you anymore. It never really was. It’s about me. It’s about the fact that you can’t (never really could) do it on your own. It is by my strength that we will walk life’s journey together. Don’t be afraid. I’m here.
Live life today with the realization that you never ever walk alone. Your heavenly Father is yearning to uphold you in anything you do. During your successes and failures. During your rebellion and your times of need. He is there.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. When I think of all you have done for me. When I realize that you have walked with me, by my side through everything. I am in awe. I don’t understand why you have allowed some things in my life. I’m thankful for other things. I ask that in everything I will sense your presence and love today. You are truly an awesome God. Amen.
We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
Faith is believing in something even though we can’t see it. Some say they have no faith but we all have faith so some extent.
In the physical life:
- We believe in wind because we see the leaves moving for no apparent reason. But we know about wind. We can’t see it. We can feel it on our faces and see its results. Therefore, I have faith that wind exists.
- We believe in ‘chair-ability’. We see a chair. We’ve experienced chairs before. We know by faith from our previous experience that when we sit we will be upheld.
- We believe in wet. We can’t see wet. But we know when we touch water that wetness happens.
To say we have no faith implies we have had no experiences because faith is often learned by experiences.
The same is true in the spiritual realm. We can’t see God. We have His word to show us His actions through history. Actions that can be verified by historians, scientists and other scholars. We see his actions in creation and when we look into the skies. Living by faith is a decision to accept what we know to be true and applying it to life even when we can’t see it.
I live by faith, not sight when finances are tight and God says He’ll provide. I take the necessary actions to make wise choices. I live to the level of my ability and realize that money and possessions aren’t what life is about.
I live by faith, not sight when the doctor’s report isn’t good. I believe that my God is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. I know that my health is in His hands and that He knows what is best for me. No matter what the doctor says, I know my spiritual health is more important than my physical health. I trust Him to take care of me.
I live by faith, not sight when the relationship I thought would last for my entire life ends. I know that in God’s eyes it’s not so important why it failed or how it failed. What’s really important is that I come to Him for healing, knowing I’m forgiven and that He can still use me no matter what.
I live by faith, not sight when the political scene contradicts God’s law. I know that my sovereign God is ultimately in control of all things. Because He is in control, when the political scene grows worrisome I will stand in the face of adversity and walk all the more closely to Him for protection, guidance and wisdom.
I live by faith, not sight when the justice system fails me. I know that the unfair things of life are here only to make me stronger. I will work within the system for change and accept, as God’s will, when things don’t go my way.
I live by faith, not sight when God says I’m forgiven. It doesn’t matter what others say. It doesn’t matter how others treat me. It doesn’t matter how many times others bring up the mistakes of my past. I know my Redeemer lives. I know that He has forgiven me and there is nothing anyone can do to change my relationship with Him.
PRAYER: Father, it’s so easy to think about faith and so hard to live it. There are so many things in my life that scare me right now. So many doubts; so many feelings of inadequacy; so many questions about what is right and what is wrong. Life is so confusing. I ask that today you would help me to grow in my faith as I experience Your presence in my life. Amen.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4
The book of Matthew tells the story of the time Jesus and his disciples got into a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee. As they were crossing a furious storm blew in and threatened to break the boat apart. The terrified disciples tried everything they could do to save the boat and themselves but the situation grew worse.
In the midst of their terror they noticed Jesus sound asleep in the back of the boat. While they were frantically trying to save their lives, Jesus was sleeping soundly like a baby! He was completely oblivious to what was going on around him.
The disciples woke Jesus up and asked Him if he cared that they were about to die. Some may question whether ‘ask’ is the right word here. It’s likely that the combination of fear, frustration and the noise of the wind made their ask more like a yell. Perhaps even a scream!
Jesus woke from his sleep and calmed the storm with a single word. Jesus questions the men about why they are afraid, but it is their lack of faith that seems to bother Jesus more. His reaction teaches us a valuable lesson; one which, if we could learn it and practice it, would change our lives. The disciples fear was a secondary reaction. It was their lack of faith that was the primary concern. If they had believed, truly believed who Jesus was they would have been enjoying the thrill ride that He had provided them!
The Psalmist writes, “I sought the Lord and He answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” We aren’t told exactly what brought David to his knees in earnest prayer. However, his request was apparently NOT that the danger would pass. He prayed and the answer came; the answer was the removal of fear!
There are many things which make us afraid in life. Debt, war, natural disasters, relational issues, politics, health issues and many more. But there are many wealthy people who fear financial disaster and many poor people who are quite content with their condition. There are many people with terminal illness that are more at ease with life than healthy people who fear getting cancer!
Fear doesn’t always have a direct correlation to the calamity that besets us. We can live in the most adverse situations and not be afraid or in despair if our hearts and minds are set on Jesus and His love for us. If we truly believe that Jesus loves us and protects us, then there is nothing on this earth that we need fear.
PRAYER: Holy God, I worship you for being the all-powerful, all-knowing creator/sustainer of the universe. I confess to you the things that make me afraid today. In my heart I know you have all things in control but my mind constantly tries to steal my faith and replace it with fear. I ask that your Holy Spirit would keep me from worry or fear. Help me in my darkest most fearful hour to sleep in the back of the boat as you did. Amen.
The worst of my fears has come true, what I’ve dreaded most has happened. Job 3:25 (The Msg)
Ever gone through day or a period in your life when absolutely EVERYTHING seems to go wrong? I don’t just mean little things like burning your toast in the morning, being late to work because you were stuck in traffic or having a flat tire on the interstate in a driving rain.
These are difficult things to go through but nothing compared to Job. He’d lost his children, his wealth, the position of respect in his community and his health. Even his wife had withdrawn from him at his deepest time of need. He was all alone and in physical, emotional and spiritual agony. To top things off he had three visitors who claimed to be friends. They took on the self-appointed position of judge, pointing out all the things that they knew about how ‘wrong Job was’!
While few of us have ever gone through the devastation Job endured there are times in our lives when things are so bad that we are unsure that we will be able to go on. The death of a dearly loved family member or friend; the end of a relationship in which you thought ‘everything was fine’; financial collapse; watching a loved one die of some disease, or finding out you are dying from some disease. All of these and more can cause us to lose all hope in ourselves, God or others.
While there aren’t any easy, quick fixes to the pain and despair that life deals us, there are a few things that may help ease the pain for a time.
- Don’t instantly blame yourself. Job lived a nearly perfect life in God’s eyes yet endured unheard of pain. Take stock of the situation. Sometimes we have to admit that the things we are going through are consequences to our own choices. Ask Jesus to forgive you for your part and to give you strength to make it through the time of ‘discipline’ we call consequences.
- Realize that sometimes the pain we go through has nothing to do with us. It could be God’s way of strengthening us for the challenges we face tomorrow. It could be God’s way of empowering us to help those who have gone through similar devastation.
- Listen carefully to friend’s advice and measure it up against what you know. Sometimes even the most well-meaning friends are just plain wrong! Even pastors and spiritual leaders can be wrong sometimes. True, Christ-following friends won’t be critical or harsh. They will love you and support you and gently walk with you through the darkness.
- Don’t just go looking for people to agree with you. But remember that it is God who judges and He alone knows the reason for your pain. Continue to grow in your relationship with Him. Don’t abandon Him. In the darkest night He is the only true light.
- Most importantly, in spite of your pain and anger and despair, don’t turn your back on God. Even though things seem impossibly painful God DOES love you and has the power to see you through anything, ANYTHING life throws at you. Talk to Him. Read His love letter to us (the Bible). Ask Him for wisdom and strength to make it through life’s challenges.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’m about at the end of my strength. I’ve even thought of just ending it all because I’m not sure I can go on. You say you are there and I want to believe it but sometimes the darkness is too overwhelming. Please help me to see you in all this. Empower me through your Holy Spirit to sense the peace and love that passes all understanding. Right now I need to feel your love. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 