Ready:
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” – James 1:5
Set:
As an athlete, what do you do when a teammate makes bad behavioral choices—and you know tough things are happening in this teammate’s home environment? As a coach, when an influential parent berates officials during games, how do you confront them in a way that brings change rather than just stirs up anger? What does it look like to share the importance of your faith in Christ while respecting the boundaries of your public school setting?
In these situations and so many others, you need something that goes beyond knowledge. You need insight regarding how to apply the right knowledge in the right way so that you have the best chance of experiencing the right result. In other words, you need wisdom. Wisdom is understanding practically how to live according to God’s design in everyday situations. How do you obtain wisdom? James 1:5 says to ask God for it. Praying for wisdom is another essential part of a “practice plan for prayer” that leads to growth in Christ.
What does this “practice plan” look like? Start the day by asking the Lord to show you how to think, speak and act according to His design in each situation that day. Pray throughout the day, “Lord, I need Your wisdom to know what to do right now.” Lay hold of God’s promise to generously grant you wisdom when you ask.
Another important dimension of praying for wisdom: according to Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” For followers of Christ, to “fear the Lord” isn’t to be afraid of Him. It’s responding to God with reverence and awe because we recognize His overwhelming greatness and glory. Pray for a deeper relational knowledge of God that results in a greater awe of Him. This will lead you to know His character, ways and purposes more fully. And this brings clearer insight regarding how to speak and act according to the Lord’s character, ways, and purposes in each situation.
We need wisdom to know how to honor Christ in the complex situations we face day by day. Make praying for wisdom, including prayers for a deepening reverence for the Lord, part of your practice plan for prayer.
Go:
What steps can you take to more consistently practice praying for wisdom in your daily life?
How can you deepen your awe of God and your understanding of His character, ways and purposes?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I praise You because You are awesome and glorious. You are perfect in wisdom. Thank You that You generously give us Your wisdom when we ask for it. I pray for insight from You about how to compete and live for Your honor in every situation today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”