Ask for wisdom and then keep searching it out.
I have a part time role with a sending organization being a part of their Care Team. And at different times with this role, especially in these first months with it, I have felt a little overwhelmed. Mostly feeling a lack of knowing how to best serve those I am ministering to and having the confidence needed as well, even though I also know that I am fully capable for this role.
It was perfect timing, then, to find myself reading about the newly crowned King over Israel, Solomon, asking God for wisdom.
“Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
1 Kings 3:7-9 NASB
When we feel inadequate for a task, or maybe even feeling the dreaded “imposter syndrome”, then the opportunity to rely on God is offered for us. And I mean to fully rely on God.
Solomon knew his need for wisdom, humbled himself to ask for it and God was pleased by this. God recognized that Solomon chose to ask Him for wisdom above asking for wealth or long life or the end of his enemies.
This reveals Solomon’s heart and his priorities. Solomon cared for the people that he reigned over. He wanted to be able to judge righteously and discern among them good and evil. Because of his heart to ask for wisdom, God chose to bless Solomon with the things he did not ask for: wealth and honor.
It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.”
1 Kings 3:10-13 NASB
We place ourselves at risk when we think we don’t need God in our situations; having a mindset that we can handle things on our own. Or we grow too comfortable and forget our need for God and His wisdom.
But we are instructed by God through the words of Solomon to get wisdom.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7 NIV
God wants us to search for wisdom and understanding. This search comes in asking Him for these things, and in finding ourselves fully relying on Him to do our tasks well.
Like Solomon, it is choosing to care for those we are serving that motivates our search for wisdom and discernment.
He will also provide understanding in surprising ways as well. Others with the experience we have not yet gained can be that provision. Or coming across something in a good book we are reading or in our research on the internet.
How understanding falls into our laps, I believe, is God’s provision for us. And through our relationship with the Lord, He provides the discernment we need to help us know when something we learn is to be taken up and applied or when it is not.
And consistently pouring over Scripture will provide us godly wisdom. Wisdom that comes from the Lord is to be treasured beyond anything we learn here on earth. It comes ahead of what we read in a book or learn in a classroom. It comes by the Spirit and in relationship with God.
So when we find ourselves needing to dip into our resources of godly wisdom, having already searched and asked God for it consistently, we have something to pull from within us that comes by His Spirit. This is why Jesus encouraged the disciples to trust that the Spirit would put words in their mouths to speak at the time it is needed. (Luke 12:11-12)
Ask God for wisdom and then continue daily in your search for it.