Wisdom And Discernment

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver.

“Um, I’m going to grab a portable ultrasound machine. I’ll be right back.”

With that departing statement, Amy, my nurse, bustled out of my hospital room. In the midst of labor with my first baby, and with drugs already pumping through my system, I didn’t fully comprehend the seriousness of her statement until she’d come back, scanned my pregnant belly, and immediately disappeared again.

Her concern was due to the fact that my baby was breech, and within a few minutes I was headed into an emergency cesarean section. I’ve often thanked God for Amy. She caught what several others had missed, and her intuition and quick action protected both Lizzie and me.

Amy isn’t alone in her quiet heroism. As I’ve walked alongside loved ones through a variety of medical challenges, I’ve often thanked God for women and men who have noticed and reacted in ways that protect, heal, and support people important to me. And while I don’t know whether Amy or others started their shifts with a prayer for God’s wisdom and discernment, I pray for it over the nurses, doctors, and everyone involved whenever loved ones find themselves navigating a medical journey.

But I don’t stop there. I pray for divine wisdom over my husband in his workplace and over my children and the friendships they are navigating. And I pray that I have the Holy Spirit’s discerning wisdom as I step into my college classroom—that I would strike the perfect balance between mercy and accountability as I encounter student situations.

Since God offers wisdom freely and without rebuke, I want it! If I can walk through my days with the Holy Spirit’s wisdom as a filter overlaying every interaction and decision, then I’m leaving a powerful spiritual tool unused when I live on my own terms and on my own inadequate knowledge. God sees the whole picture, including situations where emotion colors my perception, and I am determined to trust his lead, asking him to guide me and others, that we might avoid pitfalls and missteps and wrong turns.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Start praying for God’s wisdom as you brush your teeth each morning. Make this prayer a tooth-brushing double habit.