The God Guarantee: By Jack AlexanderSample

Faith Plus Wisdom

Hebrews 11

According to Hebrews 11:1, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” God provides for us as we act in accordance with what we hope for in the future based on “what we do not see.”

Faith leads us to recognize the capacity of something, not just things on the surface. We can’t enter into the abundant life without it. But faith has a partner—wisdom, the ability to discern the godly course from the mere worldly decision.

Living in faith as well as in wisdom means leaning in to the unknown and being willing to follow God’s leading even when it seems strange, painful, or impossible. The paralyzing thing about fear is that it makes us hold on and not engage. We need to take what we have in our lives—our time, energy, and resources—and prayerfully ask how God can use them.

Mark 6:5–6, in reference to Jesus’s hometown, says Jesus “could not do any miracles there. … He was amazed at their lack of faith.” About his return, Luke 18:8 says, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Faith seems to be the missing commodity. But we know wisdom is needed too. It’s a capability that we can ask God to give in greater measure (Jas. 1:5).

Faith is about trusting God and loving others. Faith focuses on the future, while wisdom brings prudence, measure, and thoughtfulness to our present circumstances. And so a constructive tension is necessary between the here and now (what I call the Land That Is) and the future (or the Land of What Could Be).

A life based only on the future can trap us in a world of false promises and emotions that are not guided by wisdom. A life bound in the limited observation of the present can cut us off from the unexpected blessings that come from trusting God’s most remarkable and counterintuitive plans for us. We need to root ourselves firmly in both to experience his full provision.

Where are you weak—faith or wisdom? Maybe both? Pray for God to give you more.