Seeking WisdomНамуна

Acceptance

King Solomon came to be known as the wisest king who ever lived. Even with such a title and an abundance of wealth, he continually acknowledged the God of Israel as the source of all his blessings. But his acknowledgement of God didn’t stop there; in Ecclesiastes 7:14, we see that he also acknowledged the sovereignty of God when it came to the occurrence of unfavorable circumstances. Rain or shine, He acknowledged that God’s permission was extended to allow one as well as the other; so “no one [could] discover anything about their future.” 

This concept of pure, humble acceptance was also evident in the life and character of Job. He was abundantly wealthy, and in the blink of an eye, it was all taken away from him. His response? “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” 

In this life, we may ride the waves of joy for one season, only to be hit with storms of despair and grief in the next. And while some situations call for drastic action, some others only call for godly acceptance. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon states that to be wise in one's own eyes is foolishness. Socrates said, “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.” 

To accept our lack of understanding and knowledge is to also accept the sovereign will and plan of God, which in most cases, is a mystery. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). 

Ask God today to help you reach this level of wisdom, which exemplifies godly acceptance. In the midst of struggle, may these lines by Reinhold Niebuhr be your prayer:  “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”