God wants you to ask for wisdom. He wants to give it to you. He wants you to know what is the right thing to do for your situation. The Bible tells us to ask God for wisdom, but what does asking really mean?

Read It

James 1:5-6, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.” (NLT)

Think About It

Below are eight Biblical principles for asking.

Asking is to be continual

The word “ask” (aiteo) means to continually be prayerful regarding what you need from God as situations arise. When you sense the need for wisdom, ask for it. Continual means two things.

  • Continual in the sense of longevity. It has the idea of praying consistently throughout your life for wisdom, insight, and understanding regarding what God’s will is and what you should do when facing that difficult person or situation. It’s praying at all times throughout your life. It’s letting prayer be part of your lifestyle. It’s normal for you to ask your Heavenly Father for wisdom throughout your marriage, while raising children, and throughout your senior adult years. Longevity.

 

  • Continual in the sense of persistence. You don’t give up if you don’t receive the wisdom you need immediately. You are more determined to receive God’s wisdom that the devil is to keep it from you. You are persistent in asking and seeking for wisdom for your marriage, finances, and your reactions to unkind people and challenging situations.

Ephesians 6:18 includes both ideas when it says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers…” (NLT).

Asking implies urgency

Asking (aiteo) implies a sense of urgency. “Lord, I’m about to talk to this difficult person and I’m needing your wisdom on what to say or not say, what to do or not do. Help me to control my emotions in order to hear clearly what Your Spirit is saying to me at this moment.” This is not being in a hurry with God or impatient with Him, but you are focused on hearing from God because the situation requires insight quickly resulting in your undivided focus and attention.

Asking implies a test

When you sense that you need wisdom from God you can be confident that you have entered into one of many tests that God uses to build you and transform you. If you are being tested and it is not driving you closer to the Lord, the test may remain active and even intensify until you come to the throne of grace – until you “tune your ears to wisdom” and “concentrate on understanding” (Proverbs 2:2). If you “cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures,” then “you will gain knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:3, NLT). One of the reasons God wants you to ask is so you will draw closer to Him.

Asking implies a need

You may not want to admit it, but the very fact you are asking (aiteo) God for something is a humble act and acknowledges you have a need that you cannot meet on your own. I’m convinced that God often allows His people to go through various trials to help them truly see their need for Him and His wisdom. Some people only pray when life gets hard, so God will allow their life to get hard. When life seems easy and manageable we can think we are better off than we really are with God. This reminds me of the Laodicean church who thought they were rich and had no needs, but God’s view of them was that they were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17, NLT). Asking reminds you how needy you really are before God. It keeps you humble.

Asking implies a gift

God has wisdom in abundance (Rom. 11:33) and is infinitely more willing to give you His wisdom than you are to ask for it. He nevertheless expects you to ask Him for it. Wisdom is not something God will impress or force on you. The Lord says, “For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NLT). God wants you to ask for His wisdom so that you can experience the future and hope that He has planned for you. This is a gift He is telling you to ask for. Jesus said, “You can ask for anything in My name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14, NLT). One of those things is wisdom. Jesus wants to glorify the Father through you by giving you the wisdom to do what the Heavenly Father wants you to do. This wisdom you need is a gift that God wants to give to you. Ask for it.

Asking implies access

James 1:5 says very plainly that if “you” need wisdom ask God for it. You can approach God. You don’t need a priest to pray for you. You don’t need to pray to Mary or to some saint. God has given you complete access to His heart and ear. Hebrews 4:16 says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (NLT). You don’t have to be afraid to approach God. Go boldly, confidently, and with expectation. Your Heavenly Father loves you and enjoys you coming to His throne. You don’t bother Him nor do you interrupt Him when you approach Him. You coming to Him is exactly what He wants and desires. He loves hearing from you and this is why He has given you access to Him.

Asking implies grace

You may feel hesitant to ask the Heavenly Father for wisdom one more time. You may feel like you are bothering Him, but you are not. You may think that because of the sin you struggle with, He will be angry at you for even thinking He would give you what you request. Because of thoughts like these, James tries to encourage you by saying, “He will not rebuke you for asking” (James 1:5). God will never say, “What? You again? I just gave you what you wanted and you’re back here bugging Me again?” God will never make you feel cheap or irresponsible for asking again and again for His wisdom. Rather, He invites you to ask for all the wisdom you need, as much as you want, whenever you want, and as often as you want. Instead of mockery, shame, ridicule, or embarrassment, God will graciously give you wisdom. Ask for it.

Let me add that this request is for wisdom. James is not telling you that you can ask God for anything and He will give it to you. James 4:3 says, “And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure” (NLT). Jesus promised, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father” (John 14:13, NLT). The phrase “in My name” means according to His purposes. Wisdom is according to His purpose for your life. God wants you to have wisdom. Regardless of what you think about yourself, go ahead and ask God for wisdom, He will give it to you.

Asking is to be done in faith

Faith is supernatural confidence in God and what He says. James 1:6 says, “But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.” Faith is THE key to asking in prayer. Hebrews 11:6 puts it this way, “It is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (NLT). Faith means believing God will do what He has promised to do. In this case, God has promised to provide you wisdom if you ask for it. He can do it! He will do it!

When you think about it, it would be silly to ask something of a Being that you weren’t sure existed. Or, if He did exist, you weren’t sure if He cared about your request or if He had the power to grant it! So to ask from God, you must believe that He exists, that He personally cares for you, and He is able to give you the wisdom that you need to endure your trial with His joy. Trust God on this and ask!

Apply It

What is your biggest hindrance in asking God for wisdom? How would your relationships change if you had more wisdom for that relationship? What area of your life do you need God’s wisdom in right now? What does this teach you about God? What does this teach you about yourself?

Pray It

Heavenly Father, I need your wisdom today.  I’m asking that you give me insight, understanding, and knowledge regarding how to love those who are hard to love, to be kind to those who are rude, and to understand better those who are difficult to understand. I come to you with great confidence that you will give me wisdom for my life today. You are my source for wisdom! I thank you in advance for the wisdom you will give me. Amen.