The Book of Wisdom: Proverbs Bible Study
I’ve been going through Proverbs in my Life Application Study Bible, and I’ve found myself gaining nuggets of wisdom. My spiritual gift isn’t wisdom, and I often have had to pray for wisdom to come from the Lord. Having wisdom is essential in making the right choices in our day to day. Abiding by God’s truth helps ensure we live our lives according to our plans as well as His plans for us.
I recently got scammed and I realized it was because I was acting on autopilot and not considering the situation. I didn’t pray to God or seek His wisdom but I automatically went ahead and committed a foolish act that caused me pain in the end. I have a lot of pride and that is sin. “Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings.” Proverbs 1:23-24. God wants us to listen to him and heed his advice and take his constructive criticism. Wisdom is both a God-given gift and the result of diligent searching.
“Indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”- Proverbs 2:3-5.
We gain wisdom through a constant process of growing. Through 1. trusting and honoring God 2. reading the Bible for it to reveal God’s wisdom to us 3. making a lifelong series of good choices and avoiding decisions that compromise our integrity and 4. learning from our errors and recover. We can pray to receive all aspects of wisdom and take the steps to develop all of them.
“Then you will understand what is right and just and fair — every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” - Proverbs 2:9-10.
Trusting God has been difficult for me. There have been many times when I thought I was right about an outcome or person and God proved otherwise. And it is difficult not having control over my life and giving up control to God. But I’ve learned to lean on God, resting on Him and trusting in him completely and utterly. In making decisions, I ask Him for the the right answer. God knows the best path for us. He is a better judge of what we need than we are. We must trust him completely in every choice we make. Bring your decisions to God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and then follow God’s leading. He will make your path straight by guiding you and protecting you.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” - Proverbs 3:5-6
God disciplines us when we fall astray from his path. If we rebel against God and refuse to repent when he has identified some sin in our lives, he may allow guilt, crises, and bad experiences to bring us back to him. It is important to ask God what areas we have sinned in so we can repent for them.
Solomon knew from a young age that seeking God’s wisdom was the most important decision he could make. So when God appeared to Solomon and promised to grant any request, Solomon chose wisdom above all else. We should also make God’s wisdom our first choice. We don’t have to wait for God to reveal himself. We can boldly ask him for wisdom today through prayer. James 1:5 assures us that God will grant this request.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
