As we enter autumn, many people begin to assess this year and make plans for next year. But in such an uncertain world, how do we find our way? In the coming month, we’ll be focusing on God’s will and decision-making. This first devotion shows us the first gift that God has given to guide us through life:

IN WORD – Why would God set up a process for us to gain wisdom? Why would He not just give it to us? Because asking for His wisdom and receiving it brings us into relationship with Him. The wisdom we receive is not information imparted, but character learned. We observe who He is and we learn to behave like Him. We come to know Him better in the process. His wisdom is readily available, but we must ask.
Have you found yourself needing guidance in a given situation? Our usual tendency is to pray for direction. But God has a better way. Pray for wisdom, and the direction will become clear. If we were to pray for direction, God could only answer by giving us information. But if we pray for wisdom, God answers by giving us His own mind.
We are prone to call upon God for wisdom only when we find ourselves in a difficulty. But far from being a one-time request in a moment of need, this verse hints at an ongoing process. It isn’t that we ask for wisdom one day when we’re at our wit’s end; we are to ask for wisdom daily because we will find ourselves at wit’s end sooner or later. God’s provision of His mind is often given in advance. It is more than instructions for a way to go; it is training for a way of life.
IN DEED – Do you need direction? Guidance? Wisdom from above? The crucial step, often neglected, is to ask. How often we try to figure things out on our own! How often we ask others for advice before we ask God! Ask Him now. Ask often. Make the asking a regular part of your life. Don’t wait until trouble comes; learn the mind of God now. He offers it generously. “There is a deep wisdom inaccessible to the wise and prudent, but disclosed to babes.” – Christopher Bryant (in “Walking with God” by Chris Tiegreen)

One of the first gifts that God has given for us to live a flourishing life is His wisdom. The mind of God has been given to us in the Bible. Take time to read Psalm 119 this week, taking two sections each day, and reflect on how precious God’s Word is to give us a blessed life. Have a blessed week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam