Proverbs 3:13 – Happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.

James 1:5 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach and it will be given to him.

 

Where does wisdom come from? What is its origin? James 1:5 says that God gives it freely. That would mean that wisdom comes from God. God couldn’t give something that He didn’t have. And God doesn’t acquire anything off anybody else, because He has and is it all.

 

All things were created by Him, that includes wisdom. God alone is wise.

 

If you find wisdom, you have found God.

 

And here is the beauty of finding wisdom, you will find God. Not just that though, you will need to listen to Him. And to listen to Him you will need to draw near to God. And as you draw near, you get closer to Him in your relationship with Him.

 

Proverbs 1:5 – A wise man will hear and increase in learning and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.

 

Notice that a wise man will “hear” and he will also “increase learning”. 

 

So that means that he was listening to who was speaking. So when we spend time in prayer, we need to listen to God. When we ask Him a question, we need to wait and listen for wisdom for Him so we will increase in our learning just as a wise man does.

 

Listening to God, for His counsel and wisdom makes Proverbs 3:5-6 so important.

 

“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your way acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path”

 

By me realizing that I lack wisdom, by me asking God for wisdom, that is me leaning not on my own understanding.

 

By asking God for is counsel, that is me saying to Him – Lord, I don’t know what to do, but I know that You do, please help me in my decision, I need your counsel.

 

When I do this God says that He shall direct my path. That is a promise. It doesn’t say He might or maybe. It says that He shall direct my path.

 

By me spending the time to listen to what the Lord has to say and directing my path, that is me increasing in learning. What I didn’t know before I do now because the Lord heard my prayer and He answered me.

 

Jeremiah 33:3 says – Call to Me and I will answer you and how you great and mighty things which you do not know.

 

God all through His Word, the bible, promises to speak to us, direct us, show us the way to go, what to do and the decision we need to make and to teach us.

 

The bible is full of stories of God speaking to His people. Nothing has changed. God wants to speak to us but it’s up to you to take the time and sit and be quiet and listen to Him.

 

Remember Proverbs 1:5 – a wise man will hear. That’s the most important thing that we can do. Listen. God says that a wise man will hear and because he hears He increases in learning

James 1:19 says – “…let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…..” 

That’s a little different from today. Its seems like today we are always ready to give our opinion and we forget to listen. God says in His Word that we are too swift to hear and slow to speak.

 

So in our relationship with God when I’m praying, too often I find myself speaking way to much and not listening enough.

 

What comes to mind is a line in a song by Matt Redman – “and I’ll let my word be few, Jesus I am so in love with You.”

 

Jesus has much to say to us – John 16:12 ‘I still have many things to say to you…’

 

Jesus wants us to listen to what He has to say. He loves us and cares for us and always has our best interest at heart and I believe it’s up to us to trust Him and listen to Him. 

 

That way we will be directed in the path or shall I say “His” path or His will, for our lives. Because of that direction we will increase in learning and we will be growing closer to Him.

 

Every time we seek Him for counsel we get that bit closer to Him.

 

James 4:8 says – draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

 

By seeking Him and spending time with Him, we are drawing near to Him. As our relationship deepens and we are able to hear His voice more clearly.

I know that’s what I want. I want to live close to the Lord, to walk with Him daily, to surrender and give my life wholly to Him. He is my God and I love Him.

 

So in conclusion – a wise man does 2 things – He listens/hears and He attains wise counsel.

 

So we need to spend the time listening to God and following what He says and by spending time listening and reading the bible we are attaining wise counsel. Who better to get counsel from than from He who created wisdom and is alone wise, God.

 

I’ll leave you with 2 final verses – Proverbs 4:5 – Get wisdom, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 – wisdom is the principle thing: therefore get wisdom and in all your getting, get understanding.

 

Lord I pray that I will seek You always with all decisions, that I will always take the time to listen to your voice, your counsel and give me the strength and courage to follow You and walk in the path that You direct me. I love you and thank you for this word in Jesus mighty name. Amen.

 

A great book I recommend to read is “Walking with God” by John Eldredge.

- Aaron Baddeley