I like the way you broke down wisdom, brother. Jesus Christ is our greatest source of wisdom for sure!
James encourages us to ask God for wisdom:
James 1:5-8
New King James Version
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
These verses and more to come are reasons why people struggle with this epistle. James uses strong language and, like Hebrews, he just lays the cards on the table and tells us how we should be living as Christians. We should ask for wisdom, and that prayer like all of our prayers should be expressed in faith, knowing that God hears our prayers and answers them according to His wisdom.
Doubt is part of being human and, at least for me, it's still an influence in my life. But like James expresses metaphorically, me "...who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (v. 6). I love to fish large bodies of water like Lake Michigan, and I have experienced some wicked wind and waves. My small boat is designed for "big water" fishing, and it floats like a cork. However, it can be a sickening experience literally to be tossed to-and-fro by the waves.
Doubt is a lot like that for me. I have been trained to be a scientist and a scholar and like Thomas, I wrestle with doubt because faith can be counterintuitive to fact-based reason at times. What makes sense to me doesn't always align with what God desires, and I am learning slowly to trust Him more in faith and step out into areas I would never venture into without His encouragement and help. It's still a battle in my mind, though, and I just need to let go of the need to want control.
Wisdom is a complimentary attribute of faith: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). The fear that's being referred to here is reverence and awe of our God. Where fear and faith are incompatible opposites in our world, Godly fear and faith actually go hand-in-hand for me. My reverence for the Lord draws me into a deeper relationship with Him, and that produces more faith and more wisdom which come from God.
James encourages us to ask God for wisdom:
James 1:5-8
New King James Version
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
These verses and more to come are reasons why people struggle with this epistle. James uses strong language and, like Hebrews, he just lays the cards on the table and tells us how we should be living as Christians. We should ask for wisdom, and that prayer like all of our prayers should be expressed in faith, knowing that God hears our prayers and answers them according to His wisdom.
Doubt is part of being human and, at least for me, it's still an influence in my life. But like James expresses metaphorically, me "...who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind" (v. 6). I love to fish large bodies of water like Lake Michigan, and I have experienced some wicked wind and waves. My small boat is designed for "big water" fishing, and it floats like a cork. However, it can be a sickening experience literally to be tossed to-and-fro by the waves.
Doubt is a lot like that for me. I have been trained to be a scientist and a scholar and like Thomas, I wrestle with doubt because faith can be counterintuitive to fact-based reason at times. What makes sense to me doesn't always align with what God desires, and I am learning slowly to trust Him more in faith and step out into areas I would never venture into without His encouragement and help. It's still a battle in my mind, though, and I just need to let go of the need to want control.
Wisdom is a complimentary attribute of faith: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). The fear that's being referred to here is reverence and awe of our God. Where fear and faith are incompatible opposites in our world, Godly fear and faith actually go hand-in-hand for me. My reverence for the Lord draws me into a deeper relationship with Him, and that produces more faith and more wisdom which come from God.
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