“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

Living life takes so much wisdom doesn’t it? Every day is filled with decisions and choices; Which job should I take? Who should I marry? How many children should I have? What’s the best method of care for aging parents? How do I best handle my finances? Ah, wisdom……don’t you wish you could just take it in vitamin form?

Wisdom begins with God. The apostle Paul describes the wisdom of God at the end of Romans 11:33-36, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!”

So how do we tap into the wisdom of God? First, we acknowledge that all wisdom comes from God. Second, we ask. Like James the brother of Jesus wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom he should ask of God.” (James 1:5) After I have asked God, I have learned the value of taking inventory to help me decide God’s will. Here are five questions that I often asking when trying to find God’s will in a certain situation:

1. What does God seem to be saying in His word?       I look for patterns of thought in my general Bible reading. Sometimes a certain pattern will surface that gives me insight into the direction God is leading.
2. What does the Holy Spirit seem to be prompting me to do? Remember if you are a Christ flower, you have the Spirit of the Living Jesus living within you. When making a weighty life decision – I create space to sit in silence to listen for the Holy Spirit’s prompting.
3. Which option brings God most glory? God created us to bring Him glory so it makes sense to consider which option brings God most glory? Sometimes a good question that helps me determine which choice brings God the most glory is to ask myself, “Which way is the way of faith?”  
4. What is the best use of my resources?       This is a good question because it analyzes not only how to best use your financial resources but also how to best use the gifts, talents and abilities that God has given you.      
5. What are my mentors saying? I am a huge fan of mentorship. I believe we all need people in our lives who are farther ahead in their spiritual walk. These folks can be a great resource in assisting us in finding God’s will.

After you have asked God for wisdom and taken inventory – take a leap! Make a decision. God will honor your faith!

I’d love to hear from you. Which question resonates the most with you? When you feel paralyzed over a certain decision, how might asking these questions and doing the work help get you moving?