Dear Lord, thank you for your wisdom and your ways. Help me to trust you with my heart, my mind, and my actions. Help me fight my pride so I rely on you and follow you. Please make the path clear for me, and open my eyes so I can see. In Jesus’s name, amen.
I’ve heard the story of King Solomon, who was given the option to ask God for anything he wanted. Instead of asking for worldly riches, he asked God for wisdom. This set a huge example for us that we should value wisdom, discernment, and decision making over power, fame, and material wealth.
It is our responsibility to seek wisdom, intelligence, and discernment through our day to day walk of life. In fact, we should pursue knowledge, as it is a gift from God. We highly revere ‘smart’ people. We value book smarts, street smarts, and sage advice. Unfortunately, this can lead us astray from God. As we pursue intelligence and gain experience, I’ve found in my own life that I tend to gain confidence that I can overcome obstacles and challenges on my own. It is easy to pursue logical conclusions to complex issues. It’s also tempting to try and determine probabilities of outcomes when weighing certain decisions.
Although these processes are fine, don’t forget God’s plan. We should lean on Him, not on our own understanding.Don’t fall for the temptation that logic should always be the deciding factor. God may be leading you down a path that doesn’t make logical sense. God may be calling you to a career that doesn’t have huge financial incentive. You may feel compelled to make a phone call, visit a friend, or help a stranger, none of which might seem like the best thing to do at the time.
Don’t fall victim to the temptation of pride. You can’t and won’t outsmart God. You should pursue intelligence and wisdom, but do not let that intelligence become something to be prideful about. God will use you, but not always in the way you have planned. Some times you will need to avoid the main route and take a side path.
Dear God,Thank you for the wisdom you’ve given me. Please be with me and help me be hungry for more knowledge. But God please also give me the humility to be your servant. Please allow my heart to not be proud, but to be open to your instruction. May I lean on you and not on my own understanding. In Your Son’s name, Amen.