5 Ways to Grow in Wisdom

When I was in high school I was an excellent cheater, liar, and thief.  In fact, I was so good at these things that they propelled me to rank in the top 10% of my class academically.  Oh, and I received an academic President’s Scholarship at the college I attended.  All because they thought I was smart. (scoff).

But I wasn’t smart…well, except for how to make myself seem smart.  After all, it’s easy to steal the test for a final exam in my French class when my teacher stepped out of the room.  And it wasn’t too difficult to pretend I read a 1000 page book when I really watched the movie and then wrote a book report on it.  It was an easy extra credit assignment.:)  And I’m sure most high-schoolers knew how to write the answers to the test on their hand or a small piece of paper.  Really, it’s not too difficult to figure out the system so you could get good grades.

That’s what I did.  But really, I was dumber than dumb.  And my SAT scores proved it when I scored 680 out of 1600.  According to a national test, I wasn’t even average.

And I was one of those kids in college who said, “But I still have checks so how could I be overdrawn?”  I’m so not kidding on this!

But then something changed…

Shortly after I got saved I came across the story of Solomon in the book of 2 Chronicles and this is what I read:

On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”  And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place.  “Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to David my father be established, for You have made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.  “Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”  Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life–but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king–“wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like.”  2 Chronicles 1:7-12

Wow, isn’t that a great passage!

Like Solomon, I asked the Lord to give me wisdom.

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”  Job 28:28

I want to encourage you to grow in wisdom because any of God’s kids can!

Here’s how…

5 Ways to Grow in Wisdom

1.  Have reverence for the Lord.

Acknowledging that the Creator of the Universe is A LOT smarter than we are, humbling ourselves for the fact that He sent His only Son to die on the Cross for our sins, and choosing to surrender our ways for His ways, will put us on a path toward revering Him.  We owe our entire existance to God, therefore, don’t you think we should have reverence for Him?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.  Psalm 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Prov. 1:7

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Prov. 9:10

2.  Seek wisdom.

Spend your time learning about what truly matters…

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.  Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God.  For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  Prov. 2:2-6

3.  Learn from your trials.

I know, I know,  this is a hard one to swallow!  But if you’re a parent you’ll totally get this point.  You know how important it is to train and discipline your children so they can learn and grow.  Well, it’s the same premise with us and our Holy Father.  When we’re chastened, God is refining us and helping us to follow Him and walk in His ways.  Since I find discipline to be painful, I generally want to learn the lesson real fast and not repeat it again!

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  Hebrews 12:11

4.  Read Your Bible.

The Word of God instructs us in all things.  When we neglect our Instruction Manual for Life, well, then it’s easy for us to not know what to do.  The pages within our Bible contains something more precious than gold and silver.  It holds wisdom, and wisdom is priceless and nothing compares to it!

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Psalm 119:105

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction.  For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.  Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; for her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold.  She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.  Prov. 3:11-15

5.  Just Ask!

God’s not looking to hold back His wisdom from us, so pray for it.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  James 1:5,6

After reading the Scriptures I realized that wisdom wasn’t just for those super smart and highly gifted people.  No.  God makes it available for all of His children who pursue it!  And this means you can have it, too.

Friend, here’s my prayer for you:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.  Colossians 1:9,10

Now since I’ve pursued God’s wisdom does this mean I have all the answers to life?  Um, NO!  Some things God keeps as a mystery and He doesn’t reveal them to me.  But here’s what I do know…

No matter what you and I will ever go through, God knows what He is doing with our lives even if we can’t see it.  He sees the bigger picture and we only see bits of it.  So, trust God with your life.

(This post is from my archives as I’m taking a blogging break.  I’ll be back here writing posts sometime late September.  In the meantime, each week I will be sharing the 25 different marriage principles from my on-line Bible study of the Wives of the Bible.)

Live a poured out life for Christ,