Every day we’re reminded how broken and sad our world is.  It creeps into our hearts and weighs us down.  And woe to those already in pain physically or emotionally, for now we’re reminded that the whole world is hurting.  Today more than ever we need the comfort of the Scriptures which have offered hope in difficult times for millennia.

How do we deal with all that is happening around us?  Our natural reactions don’t usually serve us well.  Fear.  Anxiety.  Anger.  Running away.  Yesterday a woman I know and respect posted her thoughts on her fb page. I want to share it because it is so helpful.  Coincidentally, the Bible verses she used were the ones I was planning to write about.  Her comments were so compelling, I had to pass them along to you.

 

Here is what my friend wrote:  “There are so many big things, so many hard things going on right now and everything is screaming for me to have an opinion about it. To make my voice known, to shout out my feelings and my thoughts and to stand on my hill and defend. I just see this picture of each of us standing alone on our own hill, shouting hopelessly into the fog while the true enemy sneaks up behind and robs us blind. Our opinions and feelings mean nothing to him. He is not scared of them. In fact, they only help him by making us completely distracted to his attack. And I’m not even sure that we are yelling at him. It feels like we are yelling at each other.

So today I pray for wisdom from the Lord. I pray that I would not be wise in my own eyes because that’s pride, but that my wisdom would start with the fear of the Lord (Prov 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.). The attributes of wisdom from the Lord are what I need to navigate the storms of the world. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” I pray that God would grant me that kind of wisdom that I might be a voice of his hope and love today, and not a pawn of the enemy.

Wisdom from the Lord produces good fruits, leads to peaceful conversations, is open to learning more so that it can love more, is not driven by fear or scarcity and does not take sides against the flesh and blood children of God. Wisdom from the Lord requires no defense or judgement. It just is and because of that, it leads to peace. Wisdom from the Lord acted upon in faith changes the atmosphere, changes hearts, changes the world. I recognize that seeking wisdom from the Lord starts with me, so I pray for a renewing of my mind to become more like Christ. I trust that God has already answered my prayer because he promised he would (James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”).

I pray for wisdom to use God’s word as a lamp unto MY feet and a light unto MY path [Psalm 119] and not as a weapon against my fellow man. I pray for faithfulness to walk in the wisdom of the Word of God in such a way that it illuminates the journey for my brothers and sisters. I pray that I would walk the path of the wise with a humble heart of obedience. I pray that wisdom would help me not look to the right or left at what is going on in the world and respond to it, but that I would keep my focus on Christ and follow him. Eph 5:15-17 says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” May I not be found foolish or distracted in these evil days, but may I use my time on this earth with wisdom.

I pray for the CHURCH that it would cling tightly to the wisdom of the Word of the Lord and follow it in obedience, even if it’s not understood by culture, if it seems foolish to the world. I also pray that it would be irresistible and compelling to the world that doesn’t understand it because it is a wisdom born from love and mercy that seeks to include, not exclude.”  Lynsey Knapp

“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. . . .  For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.  For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
“But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.  And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”  James 3:13-18

I’ve been mulling over in mind how to apply these verses.  I decided that I can daily evaluate my thoughts by the standard of these verses:

Am I humble when I do good for others, listening to them and not assuming I know what they need?
Is my thinking pure?  Are my motives mixed with my own opinions and desires, or do I want to fully obey God’s commands at any cost?
Am I wanting peace and willing to achieve it by obeying God and being considerate and gentle toward others?
Am I willing to be approachable and listen with a willingness to yield my own opinion?
Am I full of mercy?  Do I have compassion for others?  Do I want to see forgiveness and reconciliation?
Am I doing good at every opportunity?  Helping others as I see their need?
Am I impartial?  Looking for the best in everyone?  Trying to understand those different from me?
Am I sincerely working for the good of others or just saying the right words?
Am I encouraging peace and reconciliation by what I say and do?
Are my thoughts and actions aligning with God’s will?

Here are the words that describe the ways of thinking that come from God. (I looked up the verses from James in several different Bible translations):

Pure, undefiled
Peace-loving
Courteous, considerate, gentle
Willing to yield, tolerant
Compassionate, merciful, kind
Does good to others, good deeds
No favoritism, impartial
Sincere, no hypocrisy, unfeigned