5/31/24
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5 KJV. The apostle James is writing in the previous verses about our faith being tested. And verse 2 is one of the most challenging verses of all, when it says, “Count it all joy when you face trials”. But here in verse 5 we are reminded of this wisdom that is so necessary for us to be able to face our trials with joy. Oftentimes people fail to see the context these words are written in. From verse 2 all the way to verse 12 the main idea is about the testing of our faith. So here we understand that many are lacking this specific wisdom which enables us to understand what God is doing in our trials and how He is working them for our eternal good and for His glory, just as He promised. Many have an intellectual knowledge of scripture related to dealing with trials. For instance, we know that the trying of our faith is more precious than of gold which perishes. But knowledge of scripture is much different than possessing this wisdom. When we humble ourselves and ask God to give us this wisdom, then we will understand better how to apply those scriptures to the trials and tests we are going through. Then we will know that God is overruling everything that seems to be against us, so He can work it all for good. By God’s grace, let us be honest and admit we need more of this wisdom. And as we ask in faith, our faithful Father will grant it to us.