Seek God’s Wisdom

Ask in faith, without doubting

James 1:5-6  

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

 As many of you know who have been following me for a while, I have a lot of “spinning plates” – which dates me back to the 1960s and The Ed Sullivan Show with plate spinning. For those who don’t know what the phrase means, watch this: Spinning plates

Over the last few months, the number of ‘spinning plates’ on my table have greatly increased. One opportunity in particular will change the direction of all my current projects. It would be all-consuming and require total focus... and is not without a serious list of pros/cons.

You may have heard me talk in the past about why I like to fly so much. I always select a window seat and spend much of the flight watching the topography change, taking in the World the Lord has made.

From 30,000 ft, all my problems seem much smaller and I feel much closer to God. Sometimes during a cross-country flight, especially over the Western states, I’ll see a car driving on a road... and then imagine the tiny driver and the kids and the dog inside. From 30,000 ft, the car is a tiny microdot and its inhabitants are nanodots. And yet, God is with them and the Lord loves them, and really cares about what they are thinking, doing, feeling and believing.

Today, for more clarity, I took a deep breath and pretended to be on a plane, staring out the window.

Doubts creep in, especially on stressful days that are long and chaotic. I question my ability, my stamina, even my desire to change directions at this point in time in my life.

What do I want…? What do I want for the remaining days of my life? How do I want to be? My own doubts led me to re-read some of my own substack writings, particularly this one.

No human friend or family member or advisor - no matter how well-meaning or how close they are to you - can really appropriately ‘advise you’ about the big decisions in your life. In those moments, more than once, the Lord puts this on my heart: Ask Me.

Which brings me back to James 1:5-9

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

The decision really needs to come from the guidance the Lord Jesus is here to give.

Ask in faith. Expect an answer.

Once you feel His answer in your Spirit, and feel at peace with direction He has for your life, stand on HIS direction.

Make a plan and work the plan. Don’t be indecisive. Don’t by “double minded” about it. That’s where faith and trust come in. Continue to Lean In every day, with even the smallest considerations of your Plan. With Jesus on your team as your right hand, you will weather every challenging circumstance

You are assured that He will always be with you, as in Isaiah 43:2 -

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; the rivers will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.” 

Today’s Prayer:
Lord, I am sure that many reading this today and in the future are facing big decisions – decisions about their career, decisions within their family, decisions within and about their personal lives, decisions about their next step.

Lord, I pray for each person... that they will take plenty of time to contemplate and pray about that decision. And most importantly, may each person – including me – take the time to seek YOUR wisdom and follow YOUR direction and hear YOUR assurances for what YOU want for our lives.

We are grateful for all You give us. We stand on Your promises and trust You will see us through. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

I write a medical substack called Eye on the Evidence, released each Saturday. I just completed a 4-part series on the Truth About Colonoscopies. Find it here.

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