Ask for Wisdom, Not a Way Out

So after last week's messages, I bet some of y'all are thinking, "that's great Frank, but how exactly am I supposed to rejoice when everything is falling apart?" Well, I hear you and I get it. James is telling us to rejoice during our times of struggle because faith produces perseverance. But here's the thing. The Bible teaches us that the solution is not to pray that God will get us out of the tough time, but to pray that He will give us wisdom to get through it. See the shift in mindset?

Wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Knowledge is knowing what the Bible says. Wisdom is knowing how to live it out when life gets hard. It's what helps us view our struggles from the right perspective so we can see them as opportunities to mature and grow instead of reasons to quit.

So here's the deal. God will generously give us wisdom if we ask for it. That's a promise.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6

But there is a catch, y'all, and I've fallen into it myself. We have to stay rooted in our faith. True faith. If we waffle on whether or not God is helping, we are being what James called "double-minded." Tossed around like a wave. No direction. No stability. You can't ask God for help and then act like He's not listening. Pick a lane.

But rest assured my friend, God is helping and He will provide it at the right place, the right time, and in just the right amount.

Oh yeah, one last thing. We can rest in God because we know that we already have the best thing in life. Salvation. Everything else is just details.

Be Nice. Grace Wins.

FMJ