Trust MeSample

When You Just Don’t Know

Read: “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5-8).

Think: In the middle of a parenting dilemma, I turned to each boy and pointed to a different couch. “You sit there, and you sit there. I’m going to another room to pray.” Perhaps it was the anticipation of divine intervention that hastened their obedience, but all was still and silent as I prayed for wisdom. It is a prayer that has followed me in many dilemmas from parenting to pastoring. It has been a great comfort and indispensable in all of life.

First, it’s okay not to know – there are no stupid questions when it comes to seeking wisdom from God. Second, we have a generous God. This prayer isn’t hit or miss. It is a promise that comes with our capacity to believe it. If you pray for wisdom, believe that God WILL give you wisdom. God’s promise of wisdom is an expression of God’s love and generosity toward us. Third, trusting in God to give us wisdom also gives us stability. We may not always get it perfect and may not know all that we would wish to know, but we are also not abandoned to figure it out on our own.

Apply: What causes you to doubt that God will give you wisdom? Sometimes it is hard to know if we are relying on our own wisdom or God’s. Our faith communities and trusted friends can help us discern what we are hearing and how we ought to respond.

Prayer: Oh God, I need your wisdom today and every day. Thank you for your generosity and help me trust that you are showing me what to do. In your name, Amen.

(Audrey Kanagy is a pastor at Ridgeview Mennonite Church  along with her husband, Robert. They are the parents of three boys. She also has a degree in Elementary Education and a background in camping ministry both in Pennsylvania and Mississippi.)