How often have the words barely escaped my lips or the choice I made been regretted before it ever fully came to be? Moments when my heart sank within me as realization dawned that I had acted without careful consideration to what I was saying or doing.
Looking back upon those moments I know oh too well that I acted within my own prideful nature. I responded from a heart full of self, without regard to what my Lord would have had me say or do. In those moments I failed to embrace the wisdom found by humbling myself before God seeking His guidance and instruction.
“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2
So how do I obtain wisdom, how do I gain the ability to select my words more carefully or make choices aligned with what God would have me do? How do I embrace wisdom?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments : his praise endureth for ever.” Psalm 111:10
“For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee” Proverbs 2:6,10-11
Discretion, that’s what I need on a daily basis. I need the discretion to know when to speak and when to listen. I need discretion to know what to say when it’s time to speak and I need discretion to understand the right choice when decisions need to be made. This is found when I embrace the wisdom that comes by immersing myself in God’s word, spending time with Him, and allowing Him to instruct me. From my time spent with God I will gain knowledge and understanding, then and only then will I be able to possess wisdom. When I receive His instruction, I gain understanding that enables me to embrace wisdom.
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” Colossians 1:9-10
Wisdom is to be sought after, to be embraced as a rare and true gift.
“For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” Proverbs 8:11