Women's Prayer Team - Week 32
When I was a teenager, I had the blessing of living two doors down from my grandparents. I remember on several occasions, like most teens, sleeping the day away on Saturdays. On one specific weekend, my Grandad had walked down to our house as I was waking up around 11am. I remember him telling me that sleeping the day away was a waste of the precious time that God has given us. I remember also thinking to myself, "Grandaddy doesn't know what he's talking about" and being annoyed. Now, some 30 years later, my Grandad has been in Heaven for the last 22 years, and I can now see the wisdom of his advice. What I wouldn't give now to sit with him on our back porch swing and listen to his godly wisdom and insight.
In our "in-the-know" world, we have information and knowledge at our finger tips - literally. With our smart phones and devices, we can search any subject matter and have thousands of articles and websites at our disposal. Knowledge is everywhere. But what is the difference between knowledge and wisdom?
Prayer Tip # 32 – Pray for Godly Wisdom versus Human Knowledge
"If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;"
Provers 2:4-6
We live in an information-saturated age. We can learn a little bit about almost anything, but that doesn’t mean all that internet scouring gives us true knowledge and understanding. Some of that information we "google" may be false or truly irrelevant.
Wisdom is about discerning what to do with what we know. In biblical terms, we are to put biblical principles into godly practice. God will give us this wisdom, but only if we are prepared to act on it. If I am not convinced His ways are best, then He will not give us wisdom. In troublesome times, we should pray for wisdom, but with a conviction that when it comes we will embrace it. Being knowledgeable can be a blessing, but being wise is the greater blessing.
What are the benefits of following God’s wisdom? In seeking God’s wisdom, we will receive a deeper understanding and knowledge of Him. Our understanding of life changes when we know the Lord intimately. He gives us the ability to see ourselves, others, and situations through His eyes. And as biblical principles fill our mind, they will shape our responses to this life’s victories and challenges.
"He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path."
Provers 2:7-9
Godly understanding doesn’t become ours simply because we want it. These benefits must be pursued. If we receive the words of Scripture and let them fill our hearts and minds, the Lord will reveal Himself to us and grant us His discernment.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote, "Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom."
I encourage each of us to ask ourselves, "Am I seeking knowledge or wisdom through the Lord in this situation I find myself in today?"
Prayer Points: Please pray over these requests:
Father, Thank You for Your Word.
Jesus, help me to ask You for wisdom and discernment that can only come from You.
Lord, humble my own ways and thoughts and place within me a desire for Your wisdom and understanding.
Lord, Thank You for the instruction and discernment that I can find in Your Word.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Your Word and the wisdom that I can find in the Scriptures. Please help me to come to You for true wisdom and discernment in every situation in my life. I am a needy person, Lord, and I need You for understanding and wisdom. Help me to not face situations in my own strength or knowledge. Help me be slow to speak and quick to listen. Thank You for the instruction and discernment that You alone can give.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Because of His Grace,
Amanda Dyson