Adulting requires us to make decisions and solve problems that we often feel ill-equipped to handle alone. In some cases, the advice we received from friends and family just makes things more complicated. Or leaves us feeling unheard. As we move forward in trying to solve the problem ourselves, we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to get it “right.” In this month’s meditation, I want to visit James 1:5-8 and the idea of seeking God’s wisdom.

I spent a few months on this passage seeking clarity about my career and finances. As I thought about it, three things stood out for me. First, in verse 5, James says God wants to give me all the wisdom I need for my journey and He won’t get mad if I keep asking Him for more. The revelation here for me was that God loves my request for guidance and clarity. So I can keep asking Him for direction until I am satisfied with His responses.

Second, in verse 8, James says that divided loyalty shatters your compass and leaves you dizzy and confused. I was really stuck here for a few months, questioning whether or not I was being double-minded in my prayers. It turns out that the problem centered around who I would let answer my prayers. God or me. It’s easy to forget that we are never in this alone. That God loves to protect and provide for us. He wants to be our only problem solver. Once I remembered that things got a little clearer and it was easier to let go. The third phrase, single minded commitment, served as the final piece of the puzzle for me. It brought me back to the word faith. More importantly to Jesus promise to be faithful to me

The phrase single minded commitment was the third and final peace. When I reread the verse from the perspective that God wants to help me, this requirement took on a new meaning. For me, to be single-minded in my commitment (unwavering) to God means to unrelenting in my faith. To trust God to come through, even if the solution doesn’t look the way I expected or wanted. Understanding that God is always at work on my behalf and that His plans for me are good, means that I can trust Him to fix what seems impossible to me. To provide the wisdom I need just when I need it most. And to always share the best advice to the hardest problems, but I have to be flexible about how He might decide to provide the answer to my desires or questions.

I hope you enjoy this month’s meditation. Let me know what God reveals to you about His wisdom and your process.

Wisdom meditation