In a season full of unknowns, identifying a source of wisdom to handle all we are facing is essential. Here's how to discern truth.
I don't know about you, but this pandemic has shown me how much I do not know.
I do not know, for instance, if we will ever get back to any semblance of normal we were used to. And I certainly do not know when or how we will recover financially. I do not even know for certain if my son will be able to go off to college in the fall or if my husband will ever get to travel again for work.
The freedoms of the life I had been living, the economic stability that had been built, the opportunity to leave home safely; these are things I used to count on as "absolutes" barring any unforeseen circumstances...
And then that unforeseen circumstance we all mention but never really consider a possibility hit.
This lack of security in what was and was supposed to be, and all that has been happening in our country as a result, has been weighing on me heavily.
So when this passage of scripture jumped out at me I knew it was something to pay attention to:
Her [wisdom's] ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
What wisdom feels like.
This scripture brought a feeling of serenity followed by an image of a lush patch of land by a cool stream bathed in warm sunshine with huge old oak trees draped in moss standing guard at the edge. I exhaled and felt the release of tension I wasn't aware I had been carrying.
That exhalation gave me a moment to pause and reflect on where I have been looking for the wisdom to make it through this pandemic season. I realized that where I have been looking for it has not resulted in pleasant ways, peaceful paths, or feeling blessed.
I wonder if it is the same for you? Do you feel like your daily life is blessed and following a pleasant way on peaceful paths?
How to receive wisdom and develop that blessed, peaceful, pleasant feeling.
1. Take time to dwell on the promises of God. Focusing on God's word reminded us of His faithfulness to those who love Him. Read Proverbs 3 all the way to Proverbs 12 and you will find almost a hundred promises of how those who trust in God will be rescued, redeemed, protected, blessed, and secured in God's provision and blessing. In believing those promises we step onto that peace-filled path.
2. Redirect the impact of the news. We want to stay informed, of course, but what we do with that knowledge is more important. When we surrender all those unknowns to God and fix our eyes on Him, we let go of anxiousness, fear, worry, and doubt. Redirecting all of that to God instead of taking it on ourselves increases our sense of well-being as we continue to walk out our journey along His peace-filled path.
3. Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart with your decision making. Our decision-making has been impacted by the increase of unknowns we face each day, but that which is unknown to us is not a mystery to God. He can be trusted to give us direction and guidance. We will be blessed with wisdom we we relinquish our understanding and ask for His as we make decisions.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
Only God knows for sure where we will end up as a result of this pandemic. We may not be able to grasp the how or when or even what, but He does have a plan in all this and is working all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28) In that faith in the unseen there is hope. In that hope there is the ability to navigate this season with confidence in the promises of God.
May you seek His wisdom for yourself today and trust in His goodness.
Join the Conversation: How are you working to receive God's wisdom in this pandemic and how are His promises helping you move forward with confidence?