“Wisdom makes one wise person more powerful than ten rulers in a city.” – Ecclesiastes 7:19, NIV
We make many decisions without a second thought. However, some decisions carry more weight than others. Determining what to eat for dinner differs from deciding what job offer to accept. We often make these tough decisions just hoping they are the right ones. Other times, we fail to make a decision altogether because we fear making the wrong one. Neither process honors the Lord. God desires for His children to be decisive.
God did not create us to have all the answers. He intentionally left a void in human wisdom to fuel our dependence on Him. We become strong decision-makers by seeking the mind of Christ. Our Heavenly Father is eager to show us what to do. We can ask God for wisdom, and He will “generously and ungrudgingly” give it to us (James 1:5).
With the same spirit, James 1:6-8 (CSB) warns us to have faith in God as we pursue wisdom:
“But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.”
Faith is the key to unlocking God’s power. His power is only available to His children—those who believe Jesus is the Messiah and depend wholeheartedly on Him. When we root our faith solely in the Lord, we position ourselves to receive everything from healing and deliverance to provision and wisdom.
It is unproductive to pray for wisdom, doubt God’s ability to respond, and turn to friends, family members, or the world for counsel. By operating in unbelief, we reject God’s authority as our Father, which prevents us from receiving His wisdom.
It can be challenging to believe in God for the unseen. Yet, our faith grows when we actively seek a relationship with Christ. To illustrate this truth, look at King David’s life. He was the epitome of a decisive person. Whenever David had to make a decision, he inquired of God. If you search for the phrase “David inquired” in the Bible, you will see the precise number of times David asked God for help. Each time he inquired, God answered!
David was confident in asking God for help because he had a close-knit relationship with Him. He was a man after God’s heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). David cultivated his relationship with God for no motivation other than to commune with his Father. He knew God well and, as a result, had great faith in Him. David prayed to God in the morning and waited expectantly for His response (Psalms 5:3). God counseled David and revealed the path of life to him (Psalm 16:7-11).
King David’s life teaches us that relationship, faith, and wisdom create a decisive person. Our relationship with Christ develops our faith in God, and faith in God gives us access to His wisdom. One produces another, and they are airtight against fear and unbelief.
The decision-making process begins long before the need to make one arises. A relationship, faith, and wisdom cannot be produced in days, let alone minutes. We must be proactive, like David, and maintain a consistent, open line of communication with God. Daily strengthening of our faith prepares us for the times when we need to make decisions, enabling us to boldly seek the mind of Christ and receive the wisdom we desire.
To learn more about cultivating your relationship with Christ, read my devotional, “Quality Time.”
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