If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. – James 1:5

Scripture reading: James 1:5-8

Many think that having wisdom means possessing knowledge. The Bible defines wisdom as knowing and doing something about it, in a way that is pleasing to God. Knowing God as the holy and almighty God Who hates sin should cause you to go to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. That is wisdom.

Our passage today comes just after James told us to count it all joy when we meet trials. Now he tells us that if we lack wisdom dealing with trials, we should ask God Who desires to give generously. If we wonder why this difficult time has come to our lives, we are to ask God for the ability, not to just know what to do, but to live with the trial in a way that trusts and honors God. To do this we have to have faith that God loves us and will not give us anything beyond what we can bear. If we doubt that God loves us, we will be like a wave on the sea going up and down with the circumstances of life. If we look at the circumstances in our lives to validate God’s love for us, we are not believing in Jesus Christ. If this is true, James says, we will never receive wisdom to deal with trials as children of God. This calls us to put our faith in Jesus Christ as proof that God loves us even in the midst of trials. Only then we can pray that God will give us what we need.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that in the midst of the trials we are facing we will keep our eyes on Jesus, the proof of God’s love to us, so that we will have the ability to stand up under our trials.

Pastor Richard Bultje is a United Reformed missionary and pastor in the River of Life church plant in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Pastor Richard and his wife, Yukyung moved to Niagara Falls in November 2012 with their three children Calvin, Isaiah and Gloria. This daily devotional is also available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional.