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Have you ever noticed that when you ask God for insight, or for wisdom about a situation, that he often gives it to you fairly quickly? What are some problems or situations that you could use some of God’s insight to help resolve or manage?
In numerous situations, I’ve found that insight or an answer from God
has been given pretty quickly after asking Him for it – not always – but most
of the time. I learned something this
week about the underlying Greek in a verse in James 1, which caused me to have
some, “Yeah, that’s true!” moments.
In James 1:5, it says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let
him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be
given him.” Then the next part sounds difficult. It says, in James 1:6, “But
let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave
of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”
Now, today, we sometimes use the words wisdom and knowledge
interchangeably; but in the Bible, there are two words -sophia for wisdom
and gnosis for knowledge - and they were not interchangeable. Sophia,
or wisdom, always meant having specific knowledge or insight for the purpose of
good decision making. So here, the verse
is saying – “If anyone needs insight, or needs good advice or direction based
on insight - then let him ask of God.”
Now the phrase “ask of God,” is unique because there
is more than one word in the Greek that can be translated as ask, and in
this verse, the underlying word for ask is aiteo (eye-tah’-oe). Aiteo
is used when someone is asking for something that they know they are supposed
to get because they need it, and the person they are asking has what is needed.
For example, it is used when a subordinate asks their supervisor for something
they need for the job, and they are aware that the supervisor has it and will
give it. For example, as an educator, if
I know that I need a certain textbook but I don’t have it, and I know my principal
has the books in the book closet; I know that if I ask my principal for the
book, that the principal is going to give it to me. In this situation – I lack something
I need; I know where to get it; I do have to ask for it, but I know that I will
get what I ask for because - it’s just a given. It would make no sense that my
principal wouldn’t give me the book I need in such a case. That is the type of ask that aiteo
is. We don’t have any word like aiteo
for ask in English.
What James is telling us is this: When we have any problem
or situation in which we need insight from God in how to solve, how to
navigate, or how to handle - we are told
to go to God, ask for it, and know that we will receive the insight we ask
for. God has all the wisdom, and he
knows we need it, and yes – it’s a given that God will provide the needed
insight or wisdom. The verse in James
then goes on to say that God will give “generously and without reproach.” The underlying word for generously is the
word haplos, and it means that God is ready and willing to give us the
requested wisdom, or insight, without holding anything back. The word haplos,
also can mean that God will give it readily, simply, or clearly. Finally, “without reproach” means that God, of
course, is not going to criticize us or find any fault with us or be exasperated
with us for asking for His wisdom.
Isn’t that amazing and fantastic? So understanding about that word aiteo
helps us to understand the next sentence in which James says, “one must ask
and not doubt. “ It’s not so hard to ask without doubt now, with the understanding
that we are asking in an aiteo way, in a way where we know the insight
we are asking for will be given readily, generously, and clearly.
So what problem or situation do you have right now, today,
that you need wisdom or insight from God?
Ask Him! I mentioned before that one of the “ah-ha’s” that I had - when
I was studying the underlying language in this passage - is that I know, based
on my own experience, that all of this is true.
When I have gone to God in close prayer, and asked God for wisdom, for insight, in a number
of different situations, I have nearly always received the insight I requested readily. It usually
has not taken long for the answer or the insight to be given.
Do any of you have similar
experiences? Some of the things I have
asked for insight on include:
What does a very
difficult passage of scripture really mean?
I’ve asked for
insight on how to best get bills paid on those months when there is more going
out than coming in.
I’ve asked for insight on relationships with others – including co-workers, acquaintances, and even extended family members. Do you know how much heartache we might save ourselves if we ask God to give us insight into our relationships? When you start making a new friend or maybe start dating someone new if you are single – you can pray, and you should pray early on - for God to give you insight on to whether or not it is going to be a good and beneficial relationship or friendship for you. If you are in a relationship with someone who is not right for you, or who is trying to take advantage of you – God will give you insight if you ask Him for it. You do have to ask Him for it; just like I had to ask for the book I needed that I knew I was going to get.
And remember, when you ask for God's wisdom or insight, He will give it to you readily, generously, clearly, and simply. In other words, God is not going to respond with a cryptic or mysterious response that we have to figure out or decode what He gives us.
Some other areas I’ve asked for God for insight include how
to best feed myself or exercise when I have needed to lose a lot of weight for
health reasons. There were so many options and diets and exercise plans – and asking
Him for insight made a difference. In fact, my first book published was about my
experience with asking God for help with my health and my weight. The book is still available at Amazon and can
still be read for free with Kindle Unlimited. It’s simply titled Weight Loss
for Christians, and I’m the author, Sherry Elaine Evans.
When you understand more fully James 1:5; then James 1:6
also falls into place. Here it saysthat we need to ask without doubting,
otherwise we are like are just being thrown around by waves. And this is understandable
now, that if we are asking in an aiteo way, there is no doubt, because we
understand our position with God, and we understand his nature and promise in
that He will always give us His wisdom or insight when we need it and ask Him
for it.
So what is something you need God's wisdom or insight in on now, today? I encourage you to go pray about it. Go to him in prayer, to your room, or to wherever you go to be alone with God. Ask him to give you insight, direction - to give you His good advice on the situation. I do believe as the Scripture says in James that He is ready and willing and will give that to you without holding back and without criticizing you. He will give you His wisdom.