The Pain of Wisdom
Wisdom is the thing we should know to ask of the Lord but what will it cost?
I know some of you are looking at the title and thinking, "what pain can wisdom possibly cause?" Let me tell you! I have made the decision in my dark moments to ask God for wisdom. I knew I have tried things my way for far too long and I obviously got it all wrong. I did marriage without God, I handled finances without God, and I had friendships without God. I obviously needed to try a different approach.
One night in prayer I asked God to give me the wisdom He gave Solomon in
1 Kings 3: 7-14
7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom. 11 So God replied, “Because you have asked for wisdom in governing my people with justice and have not asked for a long life or wealth or the death of your enemies— 12 I will give you what you asked for! I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have! 13 And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! 14 And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”
Many rejoice in the fact that God gave Solomon more than He could ever ask for which included riches, but Solomon just wanted to know exactly what to do with the responsibilities that God had laid in His hands. His heart was positioned right in the request. But what comes with more wisdom comes more responsibilities, sorrow, and grief which is stated in Ecclesiastes 1:18
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief"
I am doing a lot of Bible walking, but I want to drive home the point that any thing we ask of God comes with great responsibilities that requires some kind of process.
Here comes the definition, lol :
Wisdom is the ability to contemplate and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight.
As I stated earlier in the blog, I asked God for wisdom to do what He had put in my hands in the darkest moment of my life. What a lot of people don't tell you is that the more you know the more you have to be held accountable for. I fully understand now the meaning of "Ignorance is bliss". You can't be held responsible for what you do not know.
Solomon was the wisest man that ever lived, He was given unusual wisdom by God. These privileges came with great responsibilities and burdens. Sounds painful right?
I read in an article that stated,
" Someone who is wiser than the rest of us would see things that we don't see, would foresee things we don't foresee, and would live with a lot of thoughts and concerns that the average person never wrestles with...Solomon realized that every great blessing that he had also had a downside, and that none of them (the things that normal people think would make them happy and content) actually brought him that kind of inner peace and satisfaction that he craved. Solomon had it all to the extreme but didn't find any of it ultimately satisfying".
So what am I saying? that you never should ask for wisdom? Not at all. I thank God for the mantle of wisdom but it can be harmful and dangerous without a relationship with God. Happiness comes from not knowing a lot but from a strong spiritual relationship with God. Wisdom alone can't make you happy and it definitely will drive you crazy if not used for the glory of God.
If you are bold enough to ask the Lord for wisdom, get ready for the weight that comes with it. HIs people will come to you for answers which means you have to be loving. His people will expect you to know what to do which means you have to be strong. His people will expect you to lead the way which means you have to be courageous even when you are not a hundred percent sure.
Are you ready with what comes with wisdom? If so, get ready for the ride.
God Bless