Day 5 James 1:5

Today’s verse James 1:5

The Message

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it.

New American Standard

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

If any of you lacks wisdom. Well I feel like that’s me most of the time, so what this verse is telling me is if you feel that way ask God for the wisdom to make the right decision. I kind of categorize decisions into two camps. The first being those “mundane, everyday” decisions that sometimes are split second. Like swerving to the right to miss a car rather than swerving to the left. It seems like those are the instinctive ones. For those I just pray each morning and evening that God gives me that wisdom to make the right choices when I don’t have enough time to talk with Him. Then there are the other decisions where I do have enough time to talk with Him. Those can be biggies or small ones. On those I’ve used this prayer. If it’s not your will, close the door, and make it obvious to my pea brain and vice versa, it is your will then open the door and make it obvious.  That has served me pretty well over the years. Sometimes the answer doesn’t come in the time frame I think it should but there are other times when the answer is scary soon…and obvious.

Trials are intended to drive us in dependency on God to Him. To make us realize we have no human resources, we are left only with an invisible means of support. The true believer then in the test is going to know he needs wisdom and reach out to God for help.

If you lack wisdom, you're commanded to ask God who gives to all men freely and liberally, holds back nothing and when you ask...at the end of verse 5...it will be given him. Pretty plain and simple isn’t it.

Next trial try it.

My prayer concern today is for my children and grandchildren. The Lord knows what their needs are.