Praying for Wisdom, Not Escape from Trials

Alright, so you are probably asking yourself, after yesterday’s message, “how exactly am I supposed to stay rejoicing during these hard times?” Well, I hear you and I get it. James is telling us to rejoice during our times of struggle because this faith produces perseverance. 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 you wisdom to help get through it. See the shift in mindset?Wisdom is not the same as knowledge, it is the practical use of knowledge. And it is necessary to help us view our struggles from the right perspective, so that we can see them as opportunities for us to mature and grow. So here’s the deal; God will generously give us wisdom is we ask for it. It’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. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”James 1:5-8 But there is a catch 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”. 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.Have a great Tuesday!Much love,